Cornwall Waste Action is currently looking for volunteer Compost Mentors in the Launceston area to take part in a project which aims to encourage more people to compost their food and garden waste at home, and to grow their own food. The scheme is funded by the Big Lottery Fund as part of its Local Food program. CWA offers free training and support to local people to become Compost Mentors: volunteers who encourage and help members of their community to compost.
Residents of the Launceston area are invited to attend a free compost mentor training workshop. All participants will be provided with a free compost bin and caddy plus an information pack. After attending the workshop, trainees will begin to mentor their friends, family, colleagues or neighbours. The first two households mentored by each volunteer also receive free compost bins and caddies.
In 2009-2010, the project was successfully run in West and Mid Cornwall. Since attending the workshops the mentors have been helping members of their community to start composting. Most mentors have been mentoring family and friends, and some proactive volunteers have also been speaking to the public about composting in schools and at car boot sales and other events.
Julia Pollard, CWA’s Compost Development Worker, says “This is such an exciting and rewarding project. We have now trained over 130 mentors, and as a result the number of people composting at home inCornwallis constantly growing. It is very encouraging when you know this reduces the volume of waste going to landfill and the production of harmful gases provoking climate change. Composting requires little effort but makes a real difference. And last but not least, it provides you with free, wonderful compost to use in your garden!”
If you are from the Launceston area (people from surrounding villages are welcome) and would like to get involved, please contact CWA on 01209 210 883.
The workshop will be held at Launceston Children’s Centre, Coronation Park, Launceston PL15 9DQ, on Monday 3 October at 7.30pm so sign up now! Places are booked on a first come, first served basis.
The Compost Mentor Scheme is part of the Cornwall Community Food and Composting project – a partnership between CWA, CN4C (Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change) and FCFCG (Federation of Community Farms andCityGardens).
Learn more about the project
