Swap Shop

Saturday 15th November 2014

A Green Week 2014 event

Acland Hall, Hermitage Road, Cold Ash 10:00am to about 12:00 midday

Note the revised timings.

Items may be dropped off from 10:00am (but NOT earlier!)

If you are bringing items along to donate then please arrive no later than 11:00am.

Depending on numbers the event may finish well before midday.

Light refreshments will be available on sale during the event.

If you have any questions about the SWAP SHOP then please feel free to contact us via the ‘Contact us’ facility here but note the further details we give below.

Next Swap Shop - Saturday 16th May 2015

Why do we run these?

Disposing of unwanted items often means they end up in landfill sites - expensive and a waste of energy.

The most efficient way of disposal is re-use - not only is there a consequent saving on landfill, but another similar item does not need to be manufactured if somebody else needs it. Through our Swap Shop there are two chances that an item will be re-used, either by somebody taking it away on the day, or via the Community Furniture Project who will find a user for it if possible.

And, even if any item does not go for re-use, it will be correctly recycled so that there is the maximum possible saving of energy with minimum possible use of lincineration and landfill.

What are Swap Shops?

Swap shops are similar to a ‘bring and buy’ sale – but without money changing hands! Members of our community have the chance to bring and donate items they no longer want. Similarly anybody can come along and take away any items they feel they can use – without charge.

Items you can bring include

toys books tools and DIY materials

CDs & DVDs small items of furniture household items & furnishings

games garden equipment Bicycles

Items should be of sufficient quality/condition that they are still fit for use by somebody else. Swap Shops are NOT an opportunity to just get rid of rubbish. Note that any mains-powered electrical items will be tested for safety (PAT test) before being made available to be taken away. Items not passing the test will be retained for recycling.

You should NOT bring

knives food/drink baby/child car seats

clothes paint/chemicals previously opened toiletries

Success of a Swap Shop is determined by the amount of items taken away and thus deemed saved from going to landfill. For that reason everything taken away is weighed.

Large items

Only bring items that can be easily carried by one person. But if you want to donate larger items then bring a description (maybe photo) with contact details on a postcard or similar. There will be a notice board available on which to pin this. Hopefully somebody will then be interested and will contact you.

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Saturday 17th May 2014

This Swap Shop was not as frantic as some previous ones but still an outstanding success. Nearly 2 tonnes were taken away, so saved from incineration or landfill.

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Saturday 16th November 2013

Our 6-monthly cycle for holding Swap Shops is proving a huge success. Clearly many of you are already putting no-longer required items aside, ready to take to the next Swop Shop. This time we were inundated by people pouring in at 10:00 am (and somewhat before). When we counted up afterwards we realised that we achieved very similar results to our last Swap Shop (May 2013) with 1577 kg of items being taken away directly. A further 1163 kg of electrical and miscellaneous items were taken away by the Community Furniture Project for possible re-use or recycling. Thus about 2.7 tonnes in total were saved from landfill or incineration.

We did however notice this time that our essential ‘rules’ were sometimes being broken. We will have to be stricter next time but, if you are putting aside items now for the next Swap Shop (May 17th 2014) then please NO chemicals (including paint), clothes, large/heavy items (that cannot be easily carried by one person) or simply ‘rubbish’ that cannot realistically be used by anybody else.

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Our 4th Swap Shop - Saturday 18th May 2013

Our Swap Shops continue to grow in popularity every time we hold one. At the last one over 300 of you came by to donate items, pick up items that you could use, or both. And the range of items donated continues to expand – this time even including literally the ‘kitchen sink’ (which was quickly snapped up by an amateur brewer). An amazing 1.6 tonnes of items were taken away by attendees with a further 1.2 tonnes taken by the Community Furniture Project (for re-use or correct disposal). So a total of 2.8 tonnes was saved from going to land fill, up from 2.0 tonnes for the November 2012 event. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped run this Swap Shop (it takes about 14 people) and to the Community Furniture Project for their support – if it was not for their PAT Testing we would not be able to accept any mains-powered electrical items. We will continue to run Swap Shops every 6 months so note the date of the next one and start putting those unwanted items aside now …

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Our 3rd Swap Shop - Saturday 10th November 2012

Everybody seems to have taken to Swap Shops in a big way!

For this one, our third, we were almost overwhelmed by the number of people and quantity of items. When we counted up afterwards we realised that about 250 people had come through the doors (up from 160 at the last Swap Shop in April) and that the weight of items taken away was over 1.4 tonnes! On top of this another 565kg was taken away by the Community Furniture Project for reuse or correct recycling. So all together a staggering 1.97 tonnes (up from 1.08 tonnes last April) has gone for reuse and not to landfill. See the photos...

Beyond all our Expectations!

It seems that all in the parish have really taken to Swap Shops. Our second Swap Shop, held on 28th April 2012, was a huge success and exceeded all our expectations.

Again the quality of donations was outstanding and this time much more than before! With 160+ people coming through the door we were really busy, and it became a real social event with everybody meeting up with friends and neighbours, as well as being able to donate un-needed items and pick up something useful.

At our first event (last November) 484 Kg of items were taken away for re-use – this time the amount was a staggering 850 Kg! In addition another 228 Kg was taken away by the Community Furniture Project for either re-use, or correct recycling. So the overall total of items saved from going to landfill is 1078 Kg (or 1.06 tons). This is a huge amount.

In addition, much appreciated donations, and cash from the sale of refreshments, came to just over £100. This allows us to cover our costs so that we can confidently schedule future events

Thanks to all who donated items, took items away, and to those volunteers who helped at the event. Thanks also to the Community Furniture Project for their support and Greenham Common Trust who printed our flyers.

Thanks to all who helped make our first Swap Shop on November 19th 2011 such a huge success.

The quality of donations was outstanding so it was really easy to pick up something you wanted, whether it was a pickaxe, a Digibox for your television, a smart office chair or just a book or jigsaw – it was all there! With 130+ people coming through the door we were busy for the full two hours, with an outstanding overall result.

484 Kg (that’s about HALF a TON) of items were taken away for re-use, which we assume would have otherwise eventually gone to landfill. In addition a smaller quantity was taken away by the Community Furniture Project for either re-use, or correct recycling. Also the proceeds from donations, and sale of refreshments, allowed us to break even financially.

Thanks to all who donated items, took items away, and helped at the event. Thanks also to the Community Furniture Project for their support and Greenham Common Trust who printed our flyers.