CAG Somerset’s First Skillshare Event: A Celebration of Collaboration and Community

On Saturday, 8th March 2024, CAG Somerset hosted its first Skillshare event at the Victoria Park Community Centre, Bridgwater.  The event was a vibrant celebration of shared knowledge, community collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability.

A Warm Welcome from the ‘Fixy Van’ and Tech Reuse Initiative

As attendees arrived at the Victoria Park Community Centre, they were immediately greeted by the ‘Fixy Van,’ a Somerset-wide initiative focused on tech reuse, repair, and recycling. The Fixy Van set up outside the venue, inviting people to donate their old technology—such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other devices—to be wiped and repurposed. These donations will then be redistributed to local community groups at risk of digital exclusion, helping to bridge the digital divide and ensure that more people in the region have access to the technology they need.

Bike donations to ‘On Your Bike’ Charity

‘On Your Bike’ was on hand to receive donations of unwanted bikes, both working and broken. The charity was grateful for the generous contributions, as these bikes are refurbished and given a second life, either for the charity’s own use or redistributed to individuals in need. This initiative not only supports sustainability by reducing waste but also helps individuals who are often marginalized in society gain confidence and technical skills in a supportive environment.

Inspiring speakers

The event kicked off with an inspiring address by Lesley Gates, who led a cooking demonstration focused on resourcefulness in the kitchen. Lesley showed participants how to cook creatively with minimal waste, emphasizing how to make the most of every ingredient and avoid food waste. Her tips and tricks were a big hit, helping attendees realize how small changes in everyday cooking habits can have a big impact on the environment. Following Lesley’s demonstration, Jen Gale, author of ‘Sustainable-ish’, took the stage to share her family’s incredible journey of living a ‘make and mend’ lifestyle for an entire year. Jen shared how her family consciously avoided buying new items and instead focused on repairing, upcycling, and making do with what they already had.

A celebration of local talent and knowledge

The day was structured into morning and afternoon workshops, all hosted by community members and representatives from local organisations. Participants had the opportunity to engage in hands-on sessions, network with like-minded individuals, and take home valuable skills and insights that can make a positive impact on both their daily lives and the local community.

The talks ranged from setting up chop and chat sessions and linking them in with community fridges to discussing community collaboration with Edventure, Frome, and how to approach co created projects that support social change. ‘On your Bike’ ran a puncture repair workshop and Beth from Somerset Council explored reusable hygiene products such as wipes, nappies, adult continence and period products. A trustee of EatCary shared the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle with a particular emphasis on composting.

The day was full of learning, sharing, and giving back, with activities that engaged people from all walks of life. It was a wonderful opportunity for people to connect, learn new skills, and get involved in meaningful discussions and workshops.

What next….

Whether you missed the first Skillshare event or are eager to participate in the next one, there are many ways you can get involved with CAG Somerset. If you are a community group that is working around waste reduction like a repair café, community fridges, larders, pantries, sharing libraries, composting, environmental groups please get in touch and we can send  you a membership enquiry form hello@cagsomerset.co.uk  If you are looking for volunteering opportunities check out our website www.cagsomerset.co.uk for a group near you. Our groups are always looking for new volunteers.  Or keep up to date with things that are happening via our newsletter.