Our Community Fridge – Monkton Heathfield was opened in July 2022. This project is run by community volunteers who collect food that would otherwise go to waste from local supermarkets. This food is then shared with the community via the open access shed which is based at the BACH. We work with the Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Bookers and M&S to help reduce food waste.
We have recently sourced funding to expand the fridge so we can take frozen food and are in the process of making plans for a larger shed to house a freezer and other non perishable foods to share with the community.
At the same time as setting up the fridge, one of our volunteers Emma set up ‘Our Little Library’ where both adults and children can share books and this is very popular with residents both young and old.
Our Community Garden
We have also been fortunate to have use of the gardens outside West Monkton Primary School and BACH to set up a community garden. This garden started with donation of raised beds from Monkton Elm Garden Centre and has grown considerably since it started. Gardeners meet regular on a Wednesday from about 11am until 4pm and are keen to have more volunteers join them either on an occasional basis or more frequently. The garden is open at other times through the week and a volunteer WhatsApp group updates all volunteers on what needs doing and how to get involved. If you would like to get involved please contact Kate Welsh on 07505984006. The garden grows produce all year round for the Community Fridge, providing seasonal vegetables and fruit for the community. We also work with the primary school to support growing sessions so the children can learn about growing and taking care of the plants. We have recently received funding to have new tools and benches for the area and hope more in the community will come to enjoy the garden.
Litter Picking Volunteers
We have a wonderful group of volunteer litter pickers who go around in their own time keeping the parish tidy and are supplied with all the equipment they need free of charge from us, the Parish Council. It’s great to have such a dedicated team who keep us informed of any issues around the parish.
Waterwatchers
We have a dedicated group of volunteers who watch the water in their area and report to us any issues with flooding or rising rivers/streams. This enables us to keep on top of any potential flood risks. Our lead flood warden volunteer, Kev Perry reports to us on a monthly basis about rainfall comparisons and also if the temporary pump at Bathpool has needed to be used to keep flood risk at a low.
Climate Initiatives
Climate Change is one of our main aims as a Parish Council as we want to support change in the community to enable future generations to be mindful of climate change and the effects of climate change on the planet. With this in mind we run a number of climate initiatives with the help of Bethan Turner, All About Business, throughout the year we organise Swap Events for toys and plants/seeds, Family Bike Events for bike marking, free hi-viz and more!
