After the shopping frenzy of Black Friday came Green Saturday. Saturday 25 November 2023 was a stunningly beautiful Autumn day: blue sky, soft sunshine and trees displaying the last of their leaves in hues of copper, crimson, ochre and russet. Nature at its glorious best. A tonic for humankind.
Saturday 25 November was also a day for human nature at its most generous best. There were volunteer-led second-hand clothes swapping community events in Chippenham. Donated preloved clothes (including for babies and children), toys and books were available free of charge for ‘rehoming’. This was an environmental and financial win and a great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday (these events are fun as well as a chance to find some really lovely items in need of a new home).
There was a wonderful atmosphere at the clothes swap I attended, hosted by volunteers from Trinity Chippenham Church at Hardenhuish School in partnership with Christians Against Poverty. Rachel Neate, a Chippenham-based colour specialist, was on hand to help people with what colours suit them the best (no more acquiring clothes in colours that don’t suit you). It’s estimated that about 150 people attended the event, and it was striking that all age groups were well represented. Items that weren’t re-homed on the day will be donated to the charity shops in and around Chippenham.
Just down the road, Corsham Climate Action hosted one of their regular Repair Cafés on “Green Saturday” at the Pound Arts Centre. This was an opportunity to bring broken household items along for repair and to enjoy refreshments. About 20 items were repaired! People with repair skills got the appreciation they deserve and invaluable practical skills were passed on. Items were saved from being thrown away and given a new life. Congratulations to the volunteers at the Repair Café who have recently won the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
There are some great green initiative out there, often spearheaded by volunteers who want to take practical steps to reduce waste. It’s worth connecting on social media (Eventbrite, Next Door, Facebook and Twitter) to keep in the loop on what “waste-less” eco-events are coming up in the Chippenham area.