By Finn MacCarthy
Finn MacCarthy is hoping to study journalism at university and wishing to grow his portfolio of articles he asked us to consider running this piece on the newly opened Elmbridge Eco Hub, which he thought would be of interest. We hope you enjoy it. Good luck Finn!
It has been a busy 4 months for the newly opened Elmbridge Eco Hub. A small building and garden tucked away between Walton Youth Club and Walton Montessori School, it offers a wide range of opportunities to the local community. The entire operation is not-for-profit. It is run by volunteers and donations of money, goods and services.
Founder and director of the Elmbridge Eco Hub, Michael Tumilty previously spearheaded the Walton Litter Picking group, which, after 4 years, has gained over 400 members and is still routinely removing litter from the streets; just a couple of weeks ago, they picked up 126kg of waste in a single outing.
Since acquiring the Eco Hub, Michael has been looking to expand his reach to as many people in need as possible. The long list of initiatives the Eco Hub offers consists of:
• A community fridge that offers free food for everyone: “It’s not about money or pov-erty, it’s about reducing food waste”.
• A book, board game and jigsaw swap
• A repair café that offers free repairs from experts on just about anything
• A Library of Things, which includes modern-day standard power tools, gardening equipment, camping equipment and more that is ready to be loaned out at any time
• A seed bank and seed exchange
• Small item recycling
• A community space where small committees and organisations can meet
• A plastic-free refill point for bottled products such as shampoo and washing-up liquid
• A garden where he plans to grow fruit trees, herbs and vegetables, as well as a sensory garden experience
Michael’s ethos is all about reducing waste. He was disgusted by the amount of litter on the streets while walking his children to school, and believes that everyone can do just a small amount to help reduce it. He also wants to provide a place where people can come together and feel the sense of community that he missed out on when commuting to London almost every day to work; “No-one said hello to each other, no one even looked at each other”, he said.
He’s already seen improvements in the few short weeks the Eco Hub has been officially open, with numerous new visitors every day and, in his words, “no complaints thus far!”
He’s making a change to the world, and judging by the amount of traffic in and out of the door so far, he’s encouraging others to make a change too.
You can visit their website here: https://elmbridgeecohub.org.uk/ or pop in to see the hub, visit the fridge and make a donation. The postcode is KT12 1LH but please find directions on the website as it is a little tucked away.
Opening hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday 9am-4pm open to the general public.