November 2024 Newsletter
Hello! We’ve had a really busy month this month here at the Eco Hub - planning for our Christmas Eco Market (tomorrow!), meeting local organisations (Equality Action, who we were able to donate a sewing machine to, Leicester College, Loughborough University, Men & Women In Sheds), doing work in the building…We’ve welcomed two new social media volunteers, Sherry & Sunny, who have been doing an amazing job promoting the Christmas market, and Emma has written a post for the University’s Sustainability Blog, ‘Sustainably Speaking’, talking about International Repair Day. She also gave a presentation on our plans to staff at Nottingham Community Housing Association. If you’d like us to come and talk to your group about what we’re doing, please get in touch, we’d love to!
Sarah donating a sewing machine to Minara from Equality Action’s Empowher project; Getting the Eco Hub ready; Sherry & Sunny, our new social media volunteers!
Christmas Eco Market
Our Christmas Eco Market will take place in Loughborough Market Place this Sunday November 3rd from 10am-3pm, and we’re feeling the festive spirit! We have 30+ local, sustainable makers and craftspeople confirmed, selling an array of wonderful planet friendly handmade products that your friends and family will love to receive as gifts. Charnwood Borough Council will be giving away free native trees, we have Christmas-themed entertainment from Sing It Happy Choir and the Folk Folk, and we’ll be offering an eco gift-wrapping service.
A community fridge is a space that’s dedicated to recycling surplus fresh food and stopping it from going to waste.
Unlike conventional food banks, a fridge is open to all, and anyone can contribute to, or use food from the fridge. Sources include food from supermarkets, local food businesses, producers, households and gardens.
Charnwood Community Fridge are planning to make Christmas-New Year food bags for families in need, especially pensioners and those who we are not entitled to get support from elsewhere. To continue their collective commitment to recycling and green living, they are looking for donated fabrics so that their volunteers can make bags out of them.
They would be very grateful if you could support them by donating either surplus or used fabrics still in good condition. Together we can make the world greener and our community more resilient especially in a difficult time like this!
To donate, please contact Shelthorpe Family Hub on 0116 305 5247 (Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm)
We’ve had our first winner!
Support us, and you could also be in with a chance of winning by buying tickets for Charnwood Community Lottery. At least 60% from each ticket sold goes to support Charnwood, and there’s a chance to win the £25,000 jackpot every week! You can purchase tickets and support us here.
Buy Nothing New Month
Could you buy nothing new for just one month?
From the water and energy used in production, to the fuel used in delivery, every new item we buy comes with an environmental price tag.
Buy Nothing New Month returns this November as we call on Brits to boycott Black Friday and the culture of impulse buys that goes along with it. Instead, we want to waste less, make the most of the stuff we already own, and cut our carbon footprint by buying nothing new – excluding essentials like food and medicine – throughout November.
Save your pennies, protect the planet, and sign up for Buy Nothing New Month today.
Climate Ambassadors Introduction
Nov 14th 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Staff & students of DeMontfort University and community members are invited to learn about becoming a ‘Climate Ambassador’, part of a UK-wide network who care about sustainability and helping local schools and nurseries to act on climate change. There is a short talk on what’s involved from Matilda Crane, East Midlands lead for the Climate Ambassadors programme, plus information on how DMU staff can use some of the two days of permitted time for volunteering to contribute as Ambassadors. We’ll also signpost upcoming Carbon Literacy Training sessions so you feel confident to help others on climate action.
Where: UN SDG hub, Heritage House 2.05, 61 Southgates, Leicester LE1 5RR
To get involved: Email dmusdg16@dmu.ac.uk to confirm attendance and put ‘Climate Ambassador’ in the subject field or email areeves@dmu.ac.uk if you are interested in the scheme but cannot attend the event.
Coming up
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WHEP Evening Talk: The Climate Crisis and Some Solutions 7th November,7.30PM-9.00PM Woodhouse Eaves Village Hall |
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Incredible Edibles - Maintaining a Wormery and Bokashi Composting Saturday 9th November, 10.00AM Fearon Hall, Loughborough |
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MMC Repair Cafe Sunday 10th November, 10.00AM-1.00PM Mountsorrel Memorial Centre |
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Transition Loughborough Repair Cafe Saturday 16th November, 9.30am-11.00pm Fearon Hall, Loughborough |
Volunteer with us!
We’re looking for volunteers to join us at the Eco Hub in a wide variety of roles, including customer service, admin, social media & marketing, and tech support, and we’d love to welcome you to the team! For more information on how you can get involved email us for a volunteer application pack!