A simple lawn care mishap has helped spark a new community initiative encouraging residents to swap buying for borrowing, as a village opens the doors to its very own “Library of Things”.
The project, based in Uffculme Square, allows people to donate and borrow household and garden equipment, aiming to reduce waste and save money across the community. It will be open every Saturday from 9.30am until 11am, with further details available at www.uffculmelibraryofthings.org.
Becky Campbell, project lead from Uffculme Green Team, said the idea came after a frustrating personal experience.
“Essentially, the idea came to me last year having done a horrible job of aerating and reseeding my lawn, which involved buying a load of kit that I used for a weekend and I’m never doing that again.
“Now, rather than just getting rid of the kit, wouldn’t it be great if that kit that we use once in a blue moon could be in an essential place and everybody in the village could use it as and when they need it.”
The initiative is designed to make shared use of equipment more accessible, with organisers hoping it will become a central resource for residents.
Asked about her message to the village now the project is open, Becky said: “Have a look at our treasures. The aim here is very simple.
“We’re trying to make borrowing better than buying for the community, for the village, for everybody.”
A range of items has already been donated, with organisers encouraging more contributions from residents.
Becky said: “We’ve had some fantastic donations already.
“We’ve already got pressure washers and I can see there’s a second pressure washer on its way in right now, which is fantastic. It’s a glorious weekend for that.
“We’ve got carpet cleaners getting carpets all spruced up for Christmas, so we’ve been so, so lucky with all the donations.
“Some have been very mainstream, some have been unusual things.”
Residents can visit the Library of Things during its weekly opening hours or find out more online.
