CircleUp Wantage Update –September
News Update - 3 September
Hello CircleUp!
Hopefully you are all doing well and enjoying the arrival of some rainier times. We are currently out and about in Wantage and Grove (and East Hanney) to meet you all again for the second visits, which we will conclude towards the end of September. We hope the second visits will help you get stuck back into CircleUp and becoming a more circular citizen.
Keep up to date
Want to keep in the loop with all things CircleUp? All our newsletters, events and updates are posted here: Wantage in the Loop
New challenges are available
Just to remind you, there are lots of challenges available in the app for you to take a look at:
Ongoing challenges
- Food: plan purchases to avoid food waste & give away leftovers
New Challenges
- Electronics: reduce buying electronics, reuse electronics
- Textiles: reduce buying clothes & reuse textiles
Upcoming Challenges
- Packaging: From 14 September, 3 new challenges will be available in the packaging theme!
Events
We want to do our best to help you all connect with other CircleUp participants, and have several events coming up that it would be great to see you at:
- Thursday 29 Oct 9:30am-12:30pm - Down to Earth Cooking with Surplus workshop (limited number of spaces available)
- Tuesday 10 Nov 10am-11:30am – Anaerobic digestor visit (to see where all your food waste goes)
- Tuesday 24 November 7-9pm – Mending Workshop: How to repair holes in jumpers
Sign up for these events here: Sign up for CircleUp events in Oct, Nov & Dec – Fill in form
Please also let us know if you any event or workshop ideas you’d like us to host, or if you would like to host an event for CircleUp participants directly.
More events are coming up, so look out for information about:
- Repair cafe at the Mix – Help repairing your electronic items - 5 December & 2 January
- Stitch clinic at the Mix – Help repairing clothes and textiles - 19 December & 16 January
Post a story on the CircleUp app
You can also use the app to connect with each other: post a story and share some information about how you are becoming more of a circular citizen, this can be however big or small!
Following the second visits, we want to set you all the mini challenge to post something on the app that is a success story for you, that since you joined the project you see as win or you a proud of when it comes to reducing waste. Can you make this post in the next week or two?
Remember you can use the prompts shown when making a post, or just write your own thing in any of the textboxes.
Jess’s story
Summer has been super busy and completely out of routine, these two things make it hard for me to feel like I am always choosing the best circular options. The CircleUp visits have given me a real injection of enthusiasm. These visits have reminded me that I want to learn to sew so on the weekend I spoke with my mum who has a sewing machine I can use - Now I have the tools I can get playing!
Amiee’s story
I have been on a quest I am calling project pantry, to make sure I am using up all the food in my cupboard and not letting anything go to waste. I have recently harvested 2 huge bags of tomatoes and some giant courgettes at my allotment, and a friend gave me a big bag of apples from her tree, so I am having fun seeing what I can make with my fresh items too. My favourite creation so far has been a tomato sauce with olives found in the back of the cupboard.
Rachel’s story
I recently went to a festival where they had a repair café – named the ‘Repairium’. I took some shorts along and fixed them by weave sewing using the cotton from the jean shorts which was already there. Using both some skills I learned at The Makery and the help/vision of the volunteers at the festival repair café. They were helping festival goers fix all sorts e.g. festival trolleys, fancy dress costumes, bags, shoes, blow up air beds etc!
What else is going on?
People’s Emergency Briefing at the Beacon on 1 October 7-9pm.
The screening looks at what’s happening with climate and nature, and what does it mean for everyday life in the UK? It is an eye-opening 50-minute film bringing together nine leading UK scientists and experts with the latest evidence and why it matters for things like: Extreme weather, Food security, Health, Cost of living. After the film there will be an open discussion about what it means for our community and what we can do locally. Register here: People's Emergency Briefing at The Beacon
Sustainable Wantage Refill deliveries
If you're interested in trying refills of soaps and cleaning products from The Mix but can't get to their site on Mill Street easily, would you consider being part of their deliveries pilot? Sustainable Wantage are looking to recruit people to try out having doorstep deliveries in Wantage and Grove, and feeding back so they can make a system that works smoothly. If you are interested, let us know or contact
Other interesting dates
Thinking of making a purchase? Why not check out the excellent charity shops in Wantage before buying it new.
Want to recycle something but not sure where it goes? Check the Waste Wizard to see how to recycle or dispose of an item
Feeling like setting yourself an extra challenge to reduce your waste? Zero waste week might be the perfect chance.
Best wishes
Amiee, Jess & Rachel
