Newsletter April 2022

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Welcome to the Fordingbridge Greener Living newsletter! 

Thank you for signing up to the FGL newsletter.
This is your monthly summary of all the happenings, project updates, upcoming events and opportunities to get involved with FGL!

If you have any suggestions or would like further information please check out our websiteFacebook page, or Instagram page.

Donations – Funding – Support

To help fund the great work Fordingbridge Greener Living do, donations are always welcome. Donations go directly to funding the sustainable and environmentally friendly projects we undertake developing Fordingbridge into a greener town. If you would like to help fund these projects, please email fordingbridgegreenerliving@gmail.com!

Saturday 21st May – Ringwood Eco Fair 10.30am at The Furlong. Fordingbridge Greener Living will be having a stand at the fair, where we will be telling people about our group, selling plants and holding a raffle.

Saturday 28th May – Repair Cafe at Fordingbridge Scout Hut – Roundhill. 10am-2pm Bring items for repair. 

Saturday 4th June – 10am-1pm outside Fordingbridge Library – Plant Sale

Project Updates

Repair Cafe

We held our first Repair Cafe on Saturday 23rd April at Fordingbridge Scout Hut at Roundhill. The concept of a repair cafe is that, instead of throwing things away, people can learn from experts how to repair items; saves money and reduces waste. David Sanders who is one of the committee who run Fordingbridge Greener Living has been planning to open our repair cafe for a couple of years but restrictions meant that he had to put the project on hold. So, we are very pleased that we are at last now able to bring this exciting and important monthly event to Fordingbridge.

At our first event we were able to repair almost every item brought in from an antique broach to a hair straighteners. In progress is a vintage teddy bear. The repairs successfully completed saved the equivalent carbon emissions as driving 313 miles.

Our next session is planned for Saturday 28th May 2022 10am-2pm at the Scout Hut so if you have something that you would love to have repaired then bring your item along.

More information

Community Garden

Our Community Garden project is progressing well. We have received lots of donations from compost bins, concrete slabs, pots and even a lawn mower – all gratefully receive – thank you!!
The next step is to create the shed base and small paved area. We will then be holding ‘Community Build’ and ‘Community Plant’ days, jointly with the Avon Valley Men’s Shed team, inviting all members of the community and FGL volunteers to aid in creating the beds and planters and to then fill them with beautiful plants! More information to follow.

Our community garden is located in the corner of Fry’s Field Allotments in Fordingbridge. A noticeboard has been kindly built by the Avon Valley Men’s Shed where we will be putting lots of information and plans so keep an eye out! 

If you would like any more information or have any donations for the garden, please email rachelhill123@live.co.uk!

More Information

FGL Website 

The new Fordingbridge Greener Living website is now live – go check it out at FordingbridgeGreenerLiving ! This will be a great place to get all the latest information about the projects we are working on and volunteering opportunities! More works and improvements are being done to the website in the coming weeks. 

Community Fridge 

 

We have seen a consistently good amount of donations of food from The Coop and this has included lots of frozen meat, fresh fruit and vegetables and also bread and cake. Take what you need and consider the needs of other people. 
The rises in the cost of living mean that more and more people in our community need an extra hand to make ends meet. Our community fridge was set up to save food from going to waste whilst supporting the people in our community with the most need. And whilst, in theory, anybody can come and take food, we would like this food to go to the people who would benefit the most from it. 

Library opening times: Tues/Weds/Fri/Sat: 930am-5pm

More Information

Recycling Shed

The community recycling shed is located at the side of St.Mary’s Church Hall in Church Street. You can drop off items at our shed that cannot be easily recycled through curb side collections.
Please see below for changes:
Aluminium foil –  If it scrunches and stays scrunched, then we can take it. If it opens up again (like sweet wrappers) then please don’t put it in the box.
Candles –  tea lights have now stopped being collected, please don’t put any more in the box.
Lids from Glass Jars – We would like to stop this box soon as all lids can go back onto glass jars and bottles now.
Plastic Milk Bottle Tops – These go to charity. All plastic lids from bottles can be put back onto the bottles and put in clear sacks (NFDC). Please ONLY milk bottle tops
Writing Materials – Please see Terracycle poster at shed or in the files section of our Facebook group. NO compasses please.
Bread bags – ended 20th Mar. Can drop off at Co-Op
Crisp packets – ending 18th Apr. Can drop off at Co-Op
Baby food pouches – ended 20th Mar. 
We have a wonderful team of volunteers who each take responsibility for a box. You can really help us by making sure you are only dropping off the right things!

More information

The Green Gram 

The Green Gram Refill shop is due to open on Saturday 7th May 2022 at Roman Quay, Fordingbridge.
The Green Gram is a Community Benefit Society, which means it’s owned and run by its members. It’s a not-for-profit enterprise so any excess funds generated will be ploughed back into the local community- and society members will vote to choose which good causes will benefit. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 16 and involves purchasing a minimum of one £10 share, up to a maximum of 125 shares. The team is also looking for volunteers to give a small amount of time a week or month to help run the shop.

So far £10,688 has been raised and the share offer has been extended until 8th May. Please go to the website at www.thegreengram.org or phone 07776 262058 for more details.

More Information

Get Involved!
  • Fundraising Secretary – We are looking for a new volunteer to lead in the organising of fundraising events for Fordingbridge Greener Living to help fund the great projects we undertake. This role will work alongside the committee to organise events, such as quiz nights, social evenings or any other ideas. If you would be interested in this, please email fordingbridgegreenerliving@gmail.com.
  • FGL Trees – FGL Trees hold a monthly zoom meeting to share updates and discuss any ongoing projects. If you would like to receive this invite, please email fgltrees@gmail.com
  • Repair Cafe – We are also looking for more volunteer repairers, whatever your talents and experience – bike, mechanical, jewellery, sewing.  Email fordingbridgegreenerliving@gmail.com if you would to find out more.
  • Community Garden – we are looking for volunteers to help run the community garden once it has been created, if you would be interested please email rachelhill123@live.co.uk