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Welcome to Freegle Bites - your latest reuse news. Inside you'll find practical help and advice for local authorities who want to better support reuse in the community. We are always keen to talk to councils. Get in touch at councils@ilovefreegle.org to chat!

Lancaster City Council give collection vehicles a Freegle makeover.

Lancaster City Council recently replaced the livery on their refuse & recycling collection vehicles, opting to feature Freegle in this new, eye-catching design.

The new livery depicts a range of items - demonstrating the never-ending array of objects that can be freegled.

The decision to feature Freegle on the new livery was the result of combined efforts between enthusiastic local resident and Freegle volunteer, Louise and supportive Lancaster City Councillor and Cabinet Member for Environmental Services - Councillor Dave Brookes.

Cllr Dave Brookes, Cabinet Member for Environment, Lancaster City Council recently commented:

"Sponsoring and promoting local Freegle groups is an inexpensive, quick-win to boost your council's reuse credentials and get residents engaged.”

This effective promotion of Freegle and community reuse could easily be replicated by other councils and we can help you to do this. Get in touch at councils@ilovefreegle.org if you'd like to have a chat about supporting and promoting the Freegle communities in your area.

Time to meet the freeglers!
NEW images coming soon.

Thanks to a grant from RSA Insurance Group Ltd, Freegle recently commissioned a set of new images from photographer Alex Bamford.

This striking new collection which features 'Freeglers and their things' shows a wide range of real life freeglers, each with their own interesting objects and story to tell!

The images, which represent the diverse make-up of our communities, will soon be available for download and can be used free-of-charge by councils, social housing providers and anyone else for the purpose of promoting Freegle and reuse locally.

Watch out for a link coming soon in Freegle Bites. Do let us know where and how you plan to use them, we would love to see!

Contact us at: councils@ilovefreegle.org for further information or just for a chat.

Hello Spring! Time for a clear out?

Seasons change and with Spring almost upon us, many of us feel the sudden and compelling urge to have a good declutter!

As the weather slowly warms it's time to reconsider the things we need around us, swap our big coats for lighter jackets and start to turn our attention to outdoor pursuits. Time for a bike ride? A spot of gardening or a stroll through the daffodils perhaps?

The start of Spring symbolises new beginnings and is the perfect moment to remind your residents:-

Freegle is here, ready and waiting to help re-home those items you no longer need.
Freegle is FREE, open 24/7 and easy to use. You don't even need to leave the house!
You can ask for things on Freegle too! Need a new water butt? Looking for some walking boots? Post a WANTED on Freegle and someone might have just the thing you need, for free!
Never used Freegle before? It's so simple! Download the easy-to-use Freegle app or use Freegle from your desktop. Find your local community and join the reuse revolution today.

For ideas, information and support visit our Communications Toolkit for Councils - link below.

To chat to us about encouraging more reuse in your area contact us at: councils@ilovefreegle.org

Communications Toolkit for councils

Humanitarian collections - Freegle's role.

In response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WANTED posts requesting donations including clothing and first aid supplies have featured on the Freegle platform.

Freegle recently issued some useful guidance for its volunteer moderators, based on the UK Government's recent statement.

Donations of goods can create logistical and environmental difficulties.
There is a high risk of some items (especially clothing) not arriving with the intended recipients and not being useful if they do.
Larger organisations across the UK are already gathering essential supplies for identifiable needs and have lists of what they require.
One of the best ways for people to help is by donating cash (rather than goods) to trusted charities and aid organisations.

One of the best and most environmentally sustainable ways to reuse 'stuff' is to give it away locally. Find your nearest Freegle community and freegle it!

Find your Freegle community

When life moves on there's always Freegle.

"I have been a Freegler for many years and gave away many items when I downsized following a divorce (including a piano). I was also given many useful items to furnish my new home when I had little money to spare. Now I am happily remarried and we are trying to declutter our two-households-into-one house! It's great to see items being passed on and reused rather than going to landfill. Long live Freegle!"

From Southport Freegle

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Also this month...

Food Waste Action Week (7 - 13 March)

Around a third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted and it’s having a real impact on climate change, contributing 8–10% of total man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. That is why Love Food Hate Waste dedicate a whole week of action to raising awareness of the environmental consequences of wasting food, and promoting activities that help to reduce the amount of food we waste.

Great British Spring Clean (25 Mar - 10 Apr)