Saffron Walden recycling project celebrates success

A SAFFRON Walden recycling project is celebrating its first birthday this week with its 2000th exchange. Walden Freecycle is a non-profit scheme which aims to keep as many items as possible out of landfill as possible by finding new homes for unwanted ite

A SAFFRON Walden recycling project is celebrating its first birthday this week with its 2000th exchange.

Walden Freecycle is a non-profit scheme which aims to keep as many items as possible out of landfill as possible by finding new homes for unwanted items.

This is done by people being able to post things that they no longer want or use

on a website, others then can reply to take them.

Freecycle moderator, Steve Willoughby, said: "We're delighted that Freecycle has really taken off in the town.

"It's amazing how many items - from fridges to body gel, pipe lagging to dining room suites - have been given away over the past year.

"We now have 736 members with around 70 new posts being added every day, a remarkable achievement for this project."

Co-moderator Elaina Ford said: "It's difficult to estimate how much stuff we have managed to rescue from being sent to landfill, but judging from the amount of activity I would say it's significant.

"People also find it is great fun to use, and some members have become firm friends as a result of meeting through the scheme."

Freecycle is available via the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freecycle-SaffronWalden/ and is free to join.

Saffron Walden and surrounding villages are all covered. For further information, contact Mr Willoughby on 01799 501456 or steve@netweaver.org