Complete Wasters is a Social Enterprise, which promotes green, ethical and sustainable living primarily through their eco centre ‘The Green Place’, a community project in the centre of Sileby village. The project aims to raise awareness of environmental and ethical issues such as waste recycling, reuse, composting, organic living, wildlife conservation and fair trade issues. The centre provides opportunities for local families and individuals to get involved in craft workshops, open days and outdoor creative play or simply to meet up for a cup of tea and a chat.
The Project also works alongside local schools, scout groups and other community organisations, running educational craft workshops, providing meeting spaces, hosting fundraising open days and providing a venue for community events. Other local groups are able to hire space for their own activities which include a baby group, yoga workshops and even ‘green’ children’s birthday parties in their yurt tent.
The Green Place additionally offers volunteer opportunities for all sectors of the community and in a range of areas from gardening to café work, furniture up-cycling to leafleting in order to foster confidence and wellbeing as well as providing a stepping stone to employment.
Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation were able to award more than £2,500 to the Green Place through the Social Enterprise Fund last year, to fund a feasibility study into extending the opening hours of the centre, as well as providing new promotional materials, signage and interpretation.
The project relies on income from visitors to keep going and has subsequently seen a rise in visitor numbers, which has allowed them to increase the range and number of activities offered and therefore offer more volunteering opportunities too. They have been able to take on two part time café staff, six new volunteers and attract over a hundred extra participants in workshops and events.
A member of Sileby Scout Group commented: “The Green Place is a valued service offered to our community. They are willing and work with us to ensure the children have fantastic opportunities to learn and work towards gaining their badges.”
Feedback left on a comments form further said: “We come to The Green Place most Saturdays and every time I go home feeling better than I arrived. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful warm place.”
If you would like to set up your own fund that works to support charities and groups in the local community, contact Katy Green, Chief Executive at Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation: on 0116 2624916 or email katy.green@llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk.
