August 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to the August Edition of the Charnwood Eco Hub Newsletter!
Hello from Charnwood Eco Hub!
We hope you’re enjoying the summer sunshine and finding moments to soak up the season. August is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month for us, with plenty of opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate sustainability together.
This month, you’ll find us at the Shepshed Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday, where we’ll be sharing our work and inviting you to get involved. We were also delighted to be part of the very first Loughborough Pride – thank you to everyone who visited our stall for some fun, eco-friendly craft activities, including making your own colourful ribbon wands!
Looking ahead to September, we’re thrilled to be hosting our very own Sustainability Fair – a day packed with inspiration, local stalls, hands-on activities, and ideas for greener living. Save the date, 21st September – you won’t want to miss it!
On top of all this, we’ve got a fantastic line-up of workshops coming up (details below), giving you the chance to pick up new skills, share ideas, and explore practical ways to live more sustainably.
It’s going to be a lively few weeks – we can’t wait to see you at one of our events!
Don’t forget - our Sustainability Fair is happening soon!
📅 Sunday 21st September
🕙 10am – 3pm
📍 Queens Park, Loughborough, LE11 1PL
Join us for a fun and inspiring day celebrating all things sustainable. There’ll be stalls, activities, and ideas to help us all live more lightly on the planet – plus plenty of chances to connect with local organisations and makers.
🌱 Final Call for Stall Holders
If you’d like to showcase your eco-friendly business, community project, handmade goods, or sustainability initiative, this is your last chance to book a stall! Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community event and connect with hundreds of visitors.
👉 To book your stall or find out more, get in touch here.
Let’s make this year’s fair our biggest and best yet – we can’t wait to see you there!
Discover, Create, and Repair at Charnwood Eco Hub – Upcoming Workshops!
Join us at Charnwood Eco Hub this season for a hands-on series of creative and sustainable workshops designed to inspire and connect our community. Whether you’re curious about mending, making, or mindful fashion, there’s something for everyone:
Screenprinting Workshop Part One – Saturday 23rd August, 11am-1pm. This 2-hour screenprinting workshop will guide participants through designing and preparing their own screens, ready to move on to part two (you can book on this class without booking onto part two, but please note we won’t be printing).
Screenprinting Workshop Part Two – Saturday 13th September, 11am-1pm. This 2-hour screenprinting class introduces the core principles of the craft, guiding participants through designing, preparing a screen, and pulling their first print (you can book onto this class without booking on to part one).
Sustainable Fashion Workshop – Wednesday 17th September, 6.30pm-8pm. This sustainable fashion workshop explores creative ways to upcycle, repair, and reimagine clothing, encouraging participants to make stylish, eco-friendly choices that reduce waste.
Rag Rug Taster Workshop - Saturday 27th September, 11am-1pm. This rag rug taster workshop teaches participants simple techniques for transforming recycled fabric into colorful, textured rugs while exploring the tradition of this sustainable craft.
Spaces are limited, so book early to avoid missing out! Let’s stitch, fix, and rethink sustainability—together.
Calling All Local Businesses – Your Surplus Could Spark Creativity!
Do you have surplus stock, offcuts, tools, samples, or materials you no longer need? Instead of letting them gather dust or go to waste, why not donate them to our Scrapstore and give them a second life?
Our Scrapstore is a community resource where schools, charities, artists, and families can access affordable, sustainable materials for creative projects. By donating, your business can:
- Reduce waste and support sustainability
- Provide valuable resources for local schools and community groups
- Demonstrate your commitment to the local community
We welcome donations of clean, safe, and reusable items, including:
- Fabric, card, and paper
- Wood, packaging, and stationery
- Tools, craft equipment, and DIY supplies
- Offcuts, samples, and end-of-line stock
Every contribution helps us turn surplus into opportunity and creativity, while showcasing the generosity of local businesses like yours.
👉 Interested in donating? Contact us to arrange a collection or drop-off.
Together, we can keep useful materials and tools out of landfill and put them into the hands of people who will make something amazing!
Be Part of Bringing Our Makerspace to Life!
You’ve already heard us talk about our plans for a community Makerspace – a place where people can come together to learn, share, and create. Now, we’re at the stage where we need some extra hands and hearts to help make it happen!
We’re looking for people who’d like to get involved in getting the space up and running. That could mean helping with set-up, sharing your skills and knowledge, lending tools or equipment, or simply being part of the team that makes the Makerspace a reality.
This is a great chance to help shape a community resource that will inspire creativity and skill-sharing for years to come. Whether you’re a maker, fixer, crafter, teacher, or just enthusiastic about the idea – we’d love to hear from you.
👉 If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch.
Our Charnwood Community Heroes!
We are thrilled to share that two of our incredible volunteers, Janet and Ben, have been nominated for the Charnwood Community Heroes Award! This recognition highlights their dedication, kindness, and the countless hours they’ve given to support our project. Janet’s sewing skills and commitment have been invaluable, while Ben’s energy and passion have been infectious! Their nomination is a testament not just to their efforts, but to the positive impact that volunteering can have on individuals and the wider community.
Moments like this remind us that volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Janet and Ben’s stories show how rewarding it can be to give a little time, share your skills, and be part of something bigger. If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, now is the perfect time to get involved. By joining our team, you’ll not only make a difference in other people’s lives but also find new friendships, experiences, and a real sense of purpose. Together, we can continue to build a stronger, more supportive community – and who knows, maybe next year it will be your name on the nominations list!
If you’re interested in getting involved or would just like to chat about the possibilities, check out our opportunities here by searching ‘Charnwood Eco Hub’, drop us an email or come and speak to us at the Hub—we’d love to hear from you!
Coming up
August
Fixit Group 23 Repair Cafe
Monday 18th August, 7.30-10PM
The Bradgate Arms
LE7 7HG
Screenprinting Workshop Part One
Saturday 23rd August, 11AM-1PM
Charnwood Eco Hub
Loughborough
LE11 1DY
Transition Loughborough Repair Cafe
Saturday 30th August, 9.30AM-12PM
Fearon Hall
Loughborough
LE11 1PL
September
Fixit Group 23 Repair Cafe
Sunday 7th September, 10AM-1PM
Mountsorrel Memorial Centre
LE12 7DB
Screenprinting Workshop Part Two
Saturday 13th September, 11AM-1PM
Charnwood Eco Hub
Loughborough
LE11 1DY
Fruit Routes Forest Garden Weekend
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September, 9.30AM-5PM each day
Loughborough University
Loughborough
LE11 3TU
Sustainable Fashion Workshop
Wednesday 17th Sept, 6PM-8PM
Charnwood Eco Hub
Loughborough
LE11 1DY
Charnwood Sustainability Fair
Sunday 21st September, 10AM-3PM
Queen’s Park
Loughborough
LE11 3DU
Don’t forget to let us know about your upcoming events so that we can feature them!
Where to find us
Opening Hours:
Wednesdays 4-8pm (access via Clarence Street, opposite Travis Perkins)
Thursdays 10am-1pm (access via main SOFA entrance)
Saturdays 10am-2pm (access via main SOFA entrance)
Please note that we have no disabled access on Wednesday evenings. This is due to SOFA being closed and us not having access to the lift, and is sadly beyond our control.
Address: Clarence St, Loughborough LE11 1DY
Website: charnwoodecohub.org
Email: info@charnwoodecohub.org
Phone: 01509 447075