A reuse and recycling initiative designed to alleviate financial burdens on families and prevent unnecessary waste has expanded into a new community.
The Forest Exchange project, based in Coleford, Gloucestershire, facilitates the donation of unwanted items for redistribution and reuse within the community.
This “face-to-face freecycle” event offers a variety of goods, including books, clothing, and household essentials, to local residents.
Louise Penny, a volunteer with the project, noted that the initiative, which originated as a community program in nearby Lydney, has experienced “strength to strength” growth over the past three years.
“We wanted to widen it further into the Forest [of Dean] which is great because it show’s how much of a success it’s been. It’s going from strength to strength,” she said.
Formerly known as The Lydney Exchange, the program has broadened its scope to encompass Cinderford and Coleford, operating under the new name Forest Exchange.
“People can just come along to our events and get whatever they want really,” Ms Penny stated.
“We do have wide range of things, books, clothes, household items that people might want and we’re actually running out of men’s clothes at the moment.
“We have masses of women’s clothes.”
Ms. Penny emphasized the event’s ethos, encouraging participants to “take what they need and give what they can.”
The Forest Exchange event in Coleford is supported by Pastor Sam Davis and will be inaugurated by Mayor Nick Penny.
The event will be held at Coleford Baptist Church on Saturday, from 13:00 to 15:00 GMT.
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