Drop in at the Mix 

Sustainable Wantage are a community action group that we are working closely with across the CircleUp project, and they run a whole host of exciting waste reduction and nature intiatives. 

The Mix is the shop front based on Mill Street in Wantage, and the home of the group, which offers many ways to get involved: 

• Community Hub (the Mix is all run by volunteers!) 

• The Refill shop (cut down on plastic by bringing a used bottle and refill with laundry liquid, soap, shampoo and more) 

• Library of Things (for a small fee you can borrow items you need to use once or twice but don’t need to buy yourself) 

• Community Fridge (surplus food that might be past it ‘best before’ date but is otherwise in good and edible condition, free to anyone to take home and use up) 

• Seed Library (bring some seeds, take something different home to plant) 

• Repair Cafe (learn to mend broken items eg electronics)  

• Reuse and recycling collections (for hard to dispose of items) 

If you are interested in coming along to see what happens at the Mix, Amiee and/or Jess will be available 10am-4pm on Wednesday 28 June to have a cup of tea, a chat and show you around how everything works. There will also be volunteers available to chat to and learn more about Sustainable Wantage, and how to get involved! This is a drop in so you can pop down if you are free anytime in the day, but if you are sure you plan to come along please use the form to let us know. Please note, The Mix is not a step free accessible site. 

Energy Recovery Facility 

A visit to the ERF at Ardley was very popular with CircleUp participants during our first visits in May, so we are really glad to be able to offer you all this experience! The visits will be hosted by Jessica Baker-Pike who works for Viridor, who manage this site on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 June. 

In Oxfordshire, we send the majority of the waste we can't recycle or compost to the Ardley ERF. We divert at least 95% of non-recyclable waste from landfill and generate electricity for about 38,000 homes. You will get the chance to learn more about this process, and see with your own eyes what happens to our waste.

The visits will include time in the visitor centre with Jessica, and there are some interactive elements that will be engaging for any children coming along. Children over 7 are able to attend. Then you will be required to put on personal protective equipment and Jessica will take you around the operational site include the control room for the tipping hall (where the waste is received) and a walk around the plant and boiler room to see what happens next leading into the incineration process, and what happens after that to turn the waste into energy.

This site is a hazardous operational site, so if you sign up please read all the information provided in the sign up form about how to stay safe whilst on the visit. Find out more about visiting the site here. 

Sign up for sewing & mending workshops with The Makery!  

One of the main CircleUp streams is focused on textiles, including reducing waste and extending the life of items and making repairs. The Makery will host some workshops for anyone interested in learning sewing skills and repairing textiles. 

These sessions will be hosted by Helen at the Makery, and are all free. Please feel free to invite friends, family or colleagues that are also interested in coming who are not part of the CircleUp project. 
 
Helen will lead a skills session, and there will also be the usual Tuesday night craft club running in the same venue. Each session will be pitched at a total beginner level so if you are starting from the beginning with mending then please do come along! If you have some sewing experience already, or are already working on a mending project, please also feel welcome to come along and practice, develop and get advice/support on your project (feel free to bring it along!) 
More about Tuesday night craft club: it is a drop in for anyone (not only CircleUp participants) to come along and work on a project and have a chat. People bring drinks, snacks, knitting, crotchet, painting etc! The craft club might also be invited to join in with the CircleUp mending workshops if there is capacity. 

Basic hand sewing skills - Tuesday 28 July 7-9pm 

How to use a sewing machine - Tuesday 18 August 7-9pm 

How to fix that hole in your favourite jeans - Tuesday 8 September 7-9pm 
 
Please use the form to sign up for the workshops. 
All sessions will be Tuesday evenings 7-9pm. 
Venue Address: The Old Stables Makespace, Stirling Close, Wantage, OX12 7AU 

Please note there is a capacity of 10 people at each session. In case of the sessions being over-subscribed, we will offer spots on a first come, first served basis but try to ensure everyone can attend an event.