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Scaynes Hill Village
Freecycle
I first heard about Freecycle about 5 years ago, when I read an article in a Sunday paper. It interested me straight away and I thought I would try and find out more. I didn’t really expect to find anything in this area but I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Brighton, Hove and Burgess Hill had groups.
So what can be freecycled? We have recycled many things in our house. I once posted a TV, no longer needed but in perfect working order. A lady from Age Concern contacted me because she was looking for a TV for an elderly lady who could not afford a new one. When they came to collect the TV the elderly lady told me how she had lots of Videos to watch but had never been able to watch any of them because she had never had a Video Player. She left with the advertised TV, a portable TV/ Video Player Combi and a Video Player. She was indeed a very happy lady and overwhelmed at the kindness of people. We in return, got rid of our 'rubbish' and were left with a lovely feeling of having done some good.
The Freecycle concept has since spread to over 85 countries, where there are thousands of local groups representing millions of members. The goal of freecycling is to match people who have things they want to get rid of with people who can use them. The goal is to keep usable items out of landfills. By using what we already have on this earth, we reduce consumerism, manufacture fewer goods, and lessen the impact on the earth. Another benefit of using Freecycle is that it encourages us to get rid of junk that we no longer need and promote community involvement in the process.
In my home we've had many garden items off Freecycle, including paving slabs, fencing, plants, pebbles, slate chippings etc. The people we got them off could have sold them but then with selling comes a lot of hassle. With the Freecycle way lots of people can benefit and it can also be a real help. My partner has had to help take up the paving slabs advertised on some occasions or even bag up the pebbles but it's a small price to pay for something that we really need and we are helping to prevent more waste from going to landfill sites.
A computer is a much sought after Freecycle object. Whilst you may have the need and the money for the latest and flashest computer on the market there are some who can't afford the most basic or can't afford to have more than one. This can be a problem when there are kids in the house all trying to do their homework. Your old computer could be a real gem for another family.
Other popular items on Freecycle are furniture. People downsize or need bigger beds for growing children. This also applies to clothes, particularly children's clothes which can cost a fortune and are hardly worn before they grow out of them. Children's play equipment such as swing sets, slides, trampolines and board games are also popular.
13 April Posted by Sue Morton
The history of Freecycle goes back to May 1st, 2003,when a man called Deron Beal sent out the first e-mail announcing The Freecycle Network to about 30 or 40 friends and a handful of nonprofit making organisations in Tucson, Arizona. At the time that Beal founded The Freecycle Network, he was working with a small nonprofit organisation, RISE, which provides recycling services to city businesses and transitional employment to Tucsonans in need. As the team recycled, rather than watching perfectly good items being thrown away, they found themselves calling or driving around to see if various local nonprofit groups could use them. Thinking there had to be an easier way, Beal set up that first Freecycle e-mail group in a way that permitted everyone in Tucson to give and to get. Freecycle was off and running.
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Deron Beal - Founder
A West Sussex Landfill Site
Our Freecycle Rockery
About two years ago I saw an advert on the Burgess Hill site asking for help in trying to arrange a Freecycle wedding. Wanting to be part of this exciting venture, Scaynes Hill Village Club offered itself as a wedding reception venue. The bride and her bridesmaids all came to the club on the morning of the wedding to help decorate the club and have their hair and make-up done by a couple of club members. The flowers were donated from a wedding that took place the previous day and the dresses all came off Freecycle. This of course would not be everyone's idea of a perfect wedding but it was lovely nevertheless.
Freecycle Wedding Reception at SH Village Club
Since 2009 there has been a break-away group of freecyclers in the UK called Freegle. This came about because of a difference of opinion on how the groups should be run. Those in the UK felt that they were in a better position to set the rules and guidelines for their local users rather than the Freecycle Network started in USA. To find out where your nearest groups are or for more information check out the following websites: -
http://www.ilovefreegle.org/groups/ or https://www.freecycle.org/browse/UK
Freegle Logo
Anyone can join the freecycling community. Each group has its own rules and etiquette but it is generally the same across the board. The groups have a monitor to ensure that there is no abuse of the system and that no money is ever asked for. It's also important to 'offer' things as well as just posting 'wanted' notices. Here in Scaynes Hill we are surrounded by freecycling groups. They have now spread to Haywards Heath, Lewes, Uckfield and East Grinstead. There are 333 groups on Freegle with 1,294,071 members. Freecycle have even more groups. Be sure to check them out and happy freecycling to one and all!