Give & Take for free with Penrith Freegle

A Freegle open day in the centre of Penrith on Saturday 24 September invites everyone to find out about the local internet-based reuse group.

Group moderator Juliet Gray explaining how Freegle works

The day is also a free “give and take” event so do come to give small things away for free – or take what others have left. The open day is at the Carlisle Eden Mind Five café in the Market Square near the clock tower memorial from 10am until 4pm.

At the previous open day in February this year, well over 100 people came to find out about the group, dropping off many items that were quickly taken by others who could make good use of them. Normally all Freegling is done online by email. “It was great to meet many group members face to face for the first time, and help those who aren’t already signed up,” said group moderator Chris Cant. A film of this open day was made by the local environmental group PACT and is available at www.PenrithEdenFreegle.org.uk The Penrith and Eden Freegle group has been running since January 2007 and now has over 2700 members with several hundred items given away each month. Recently offered items include a parrot cage, a garden composter, a laptop bag, a DVD recorder, a food processor and a wooden garden arch. Other people are looking for a fish tank, a cement mixer and demi-johns.

Freegling is a great way to help others, clear clutter, keep perfectly good items out of landfill and conserve the world’s resources. The group is run by volunteers, Chris Cant, Juliet Gray and Judith-Ann Wardlaw. Juliet explains, “As an internet-based group, Freegle users send ‘offer’ or ‘wanted’ messages by email to all other members, so it’s all about matching surplus items with those who can use them. Everything must be free, so you can’t ask for money or offer money for any of the items which appear.” You can choose who to give an item to and then arrange the handover between yourselves.

You can also use Facebook to join Freegle if you wish, and so send messages to the group and see other messages. If you are less technically inclined, please ask Chris Cant to offer an item by phoning him on 01931 713240. He will post your offer and get back in touch if anyone is interested in it.

Reusing items through Freegle cuts down on the waste and recycling collection and disposal costs for the district and county council, with an estimated 6 tonnes saved every
month. In March last year, 328 items were handed over.

Freegle is taking a stall at Ullswater Community College’s Open Afternoon on Thursday 29 September. Any donated items left over after the open day will either be taken to this event or given to the Mind charity shop for sale.

The Penrith and Eden Freegle group covers all Eden District, with neighbouring Freegle groups covering other parts of Cumbria, with over 300 groups through the UK and over a million members. The group is free to join and everything offered must be free. For more information go to www.PenrithEdenFreegle.org.uk or www.ilovefreegle.org – phone Chris Cant on 01931 713240 if you need any help.

Visitors and free items at the Penrith Freegle open day