Dale End Litter Pick this Saturday!

Wellingborough Eco Group and Wellie Wombles

This Month’s Two Hour Tidy Up takes place on this Saturday (30th September) at Dale End Park. We will be setting up our Recycling Station from 9:30 at the Scout Hut which is on Croyland Road, for litter picking between 10 and 12. We will be litter picking the park and the nearby streets. The header image shows how much litter we picked last time!

Join this month’s Two Hour Tidy Up

This location has been chosen because we are also joining the Scouts for their Well-being Day. As a group we tidied up this area last year, but unfortunately there’s a lot to do now, particularly between the trees surrounding the field.

To help us and keep us safe at this and future litter picks, Wellingborough Eco Group have purchased some litter pickers, hi-vis vests and safety equipment including road signs, so everything is provided but please bring your own gloves if you can. Free cold drinks plus tea and Coffee will be available, hand sanitiser will also be available, do join us if you can, ALL WELCOME!

Litter Pick Community Gardens

This Month’s Two Hour Tidy Up takes place on this Saturday (26th August) at Newcomen Road Community Gardens. We will be setting up our Recycling Station from 9:30 at the Community Gardens which are at the Vivian Road end of Newcomen Road, for litter picking between 10 and 12. We will be litter picking the gardens and the nearby streets.

This location has been chosen by one of our Wellie Wombles. As a group we have not tidied up this area in February 2022, the header picture shows our haul of litter, but unfortunately there’s a lot to do. We have also decided to do these gardens because we will might as part of a new project next year look to work with Made with Many to transform this area, subject to permission granted. See map below for the location:

To help us and keep us safe at this and future litter picks, Wellingborough Eco Group have purchased some litter pickers, hi-vis vests and safety equipment including road signs, so everything is provided but please bring your own gloves if you can. Free cold drinks plus tea and Coffee will be available, hand sanitiser will also be available, do join us if you can, ALL WELCOME!

How does your garden grow?

In collaboration with Made With Many and Wellingborough Eco Group, theatre company Casson & Friends are looking to chat to allotment holders and keen gardeners about their experience of growing plants & relationships on the plot. Whether you’re new to gardening, or a seasoned expert we’d love to hear from you!

Tim from Casson & Friends will be coming to the Community Allotment at Ladywell Allotments on Wednesday 16th August from 11am – 3pm, so please do say hello and have a chat with him! The chats will be recorded and used to inspire Casson & Friends’ new show: ‘The Allotment Project’ – a joyful mix of dance & documentary that celebrates gardening communities and encourages people to get growing!

Find out more about the performance project at https://www.cassonandfriends.com/allotment and then join us on Wednesday to share your experiences!

New improved SWAP SHOP this Tuesday!

Wellingborough Eco Group & Wellie Wombles

Wellingborough Swap Shop now has loads more to offer at ECO HUB Glamis Hall and we have extended the opening hours to 12-6 every Tuesday!

We have loads of clothes for adults and children, toys, teddies, inflatables, bicycles, computer accessories, lamps, household items, plates, blankets, sheets, shoes, bags, tights and stockings, ladies underwear, books for adults and children, DVDs, pots and pans, heaters, toasters and even a clock radio! All available for swaps or a small donation to the group.

Plus there’s HAPPY CAFE, FOOD SHARERS and TUESDAY TIDY UPS…

Happy Café is our free food reuse café that cooks what we save from supermarkets and serves it up for free. There’s free tea and coffee too, plus games and jigsaws. Food available 12-2.

Food Sharers will have fresh bread, fruit and veg from Redeem Funds plus sandwiches and salads from Co-op. All available for a small donation or a food share.

Tuesday Tidy Ups with Wellie Wombles has litter pickers and hoops to lend out, plus bags for free. Why not come for a Tuesday Tidy Up?

There’s lots on but always time for tea, join us at ECO HUB Glamis Hall Goldsmith Road Wellingborough NN8 3RU, this Tuesday 12-6

Litter Pick the Town Centre this Saturday!

Wellingborough Eco Group & Wellie Wombles

This Month’s Two Hour Tidy Up takes place on this Saturday (29th July) in the Town Centre. We will be setting up our Recycling Station next to the tree on Market Street opposite the Hind Hotel from 9:30am, for litter picking between 10 and 12. We will be tidying up the Town Centre and the surrounding area.

Join us for our monthly Two Hour Tidy Up!

This location has been chosen because we are also having a stall at Disability Pride from 11am-3pm. As a group we have tidied up the Town Centre on numerous occasions, but unfortunately due to some lazy people there’s a lot to do. It could be wet, so free coffee and tea will be available.

To help us and keep us safe at this and future litter picks, Wellingborough Eco Group have purchased some litter pickers, hi-vis vests and safety equipment including road signs, so everything is provided but please bring your own gloves if you can. Join in, bring your friends and family, ALL WELCOME!

We’re changing our group to a charity!

Over the past couple of months, we have been looking at our structure. Currently we are a constituted community group, which serves us well but has a few short comings. For example, since our organisation is not a separate legal entity in the eyes of the law, the committee takes personal liability for any risk or debts.

The legal structure (click link to see options) can have a huge impact on any future activities, such as fundraising, trading or contracting because the legal status is closely linked with how you we governed and regulated. It can also affect our legal rights as an organisation.

We have looked at the many different legal entities that we can adopt, the one your committee has settled on is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation by Association (CIO) because it doesn’t change the ethos of the group and it is less rigid in how it is maintained than a conventional charity.

What is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation?

  • A CIO is a legal structure regulated by the Charity Commission that was introduced to help simplify the process for setting up a charity.
  • A CIO is governed by Charity Law (not Company Law) and the liability of trustees is limited (rather like being a director of a limited company)

There are two forms of CIO:

  • Association model – this has a wider membership, including voting members other than charity trustees. We have a registered membership and we want to keep this.
  • Foundation model – the only members are the trustees and there is no wider membership. Glamis Hall is a Foundation CIO.

Why do this when what we are is working?

  • Having a charitable status makes it easier for companies to support us. Some simply will not support us as we are.
  • Becoming a legal entity, means that we can limit the liability of our committee and members.
  • There is no minimum level of income required to register as a CIO so we can immediately apply to be registered at the Charity Commission.
  • As we grow, we will exceed the financial limit for our current status, so we need to change to a legal entity.
  • Most other legal structures, including Community Interest Companies (CIC) Co-operatives and Limited Companies by Guarantee are better suited to not-for-profit businesses that generate income through sales.
  • We want to remain a community group with a membership, that delivers services with the support of partners, to benefit local people and our environment.
  • Wellingborough Eco Group is a membership organisation, that has a committee that represents the members. We wanted to keep this structure where every member’s voice counts.
  • Becoming a CIO will mean that we will also have trustees who are legally responsible for the organisation, but as an associated CIO our members will continue to drive and add to what we do.

What difference will it make to me?

  • For most people, absolutely nothing in the short term; but in the long term we will be able to improve and increase our services.

Have your say!

  • Please do let us know what you think to us becoming an Associated CIO. You views are important, this is your group.
  • We will formally move forward with this proposal at our next Committee Meeting at 7pm on Tuesday 15th at ECO HUB.

Registered members are most welcome to attend. Join for free at https://wellingboroughecogroup.org.uk/eco/join-us/ (if you haven’t already) to receive newsletters and to vote.

Becoming a CIO is all about what is best for the long term and about making our group sustainable, so that we can continue to make our community more sustainable for everyone.

Thank you for your support.

Stanwell Park Litter Picked

Wellingborough Eco Group & Wellie Wombles

A huge thank you to the 11 litter picking heroes that joined us on our Two Hour Tidy Up this morning in Stanwell Park. We filled an 20 bags full of litter and pulled out various items from the stream including four trolleys, six bicycles, two car tyres, four chairs, a mattress, a tent, a bin full of rubble and various lumps of wood.

Wellingborough Eco Group have a Two Hour Tidy Up with Wellie Wombles every month. This time we we litter picked Stanwell Park and the surrounding area. Our Recycling Station was set up at 9:30 for litter picking 10-12. Our next one will be on 29th of July in a location to be decided, perhaps in a park near you!

Massive thank you Brenda for getting in the stream, and to Glenn, Sarah, Kate, Judy, Jehovian, Jonathan, Rachel and Tim, and Ray and Jackie for picking up so much litter, much of which has been mown into tiny pieces. Thank you also to local residents who joined in to help move some of the larger items and to those offered drinks to our litter pickers too. Well done all!

Litter Picking Stanwell Park this Saturday!

Wellingborough Eco Group & Wellie Wombles

This Month’s Two Hour Tidy Up takes place on this Saturday (24th June) at Stanwell Park. We will be setting up our Recycling Station on the grass at the park entrance on Wordsworth Road from 9:30, for litter picking between 10 and 12. We will be tidying up the park and the surrounding area.

Join us for our monthly Two Hour Tidy Up!

This location has been chosen by Freddie because we have not been to this park for ages. As a group we have tidied up this area before, but unfortunately due to some messy people there’s a lot to do. It could be hot, so free refreshments will be available.

To help us and keep us safe at this and future litter picks, Wellingborough Eco Group have purchased some litter pickers, hi-vis vests and safety equipment including road signs, so everything is provided but please bring your own gloves if you can. Join in, bring your friends and family, ALL WELCOME!

The Great Big Green Wellingborough Circular Walk and Cycle was great!

Wellingborough Eco Group

Thank you to the 16 people that joined us today for The Great Big Green Wellingborough Walk and Cycle. It was a great event and we will do it again, the walk and the cycle was lovely and then top top it off we had a massive BBQ and buffet!

Whilst ten happy cyclists took off on The Great Big Green Wellingborough Circular Walk and Cycle six mile Red Route, we join Jonathan, Jane, Aleksandra and Stefania walking on three mile Green Route. Here they take you round on today’s three mile Green Route is off road cycle paths all the way.

Watch us walk the Green Route –

From ECO HUB we follow cycle paths through Queensway Park and then take paths through green space next to Hardwick Road. We take Old Hardwick Road up to the Community Garden (which we have a little look around) then through the parkland on Park Farm, into Queensway Park and then back to ECO HUB.

The cyclists took on and very nearly completed the six mile Red Route. Obviously the children need to stop at every playground on the way and were completely worn out, but had certainly worked up an appetite so our BBQ and buffet went down well!

Watch Jonathan and Looby do the Red Route –

The six mile Red Route took them through many of our local parks. From ECO HUB go through the houses to Shelley Road and into Stanwell Park. Across Northampton Road to go past the lake into Croyland Park. Then through houses and Spring Gardens, across Oxford Street, through Bassetts Close Park to Brickhill Road and then through a green space following the cycle path onto Hardwick Road. Then through Glamis Meadow and Wood into Kilborn Park. Up Blaydon Walk onto Waterworks Lane to join Hardwick Road again. Then through the parkland on Park Farm, into Queensway Park and then back to ECO HUB.

Massive thank you to Emma Davies for preparing a cracking buffet, to Judy and Jonathan for being our guides, and most of all to Justyna and Dominic, Celina, Sebastian, Stefania and Aleksandra, Sabina and Inacy, Tim and Rachel, Jane, Beata and Nela for joining our Circular Walk and Cycle for The Great Big Green Week and Better Transport Week.

Here are some photos from today’s event, why not watch the videos too? You can do the routes too every Tuesday and Thursday from ECO HUB, join us at our Happy Cafes 12-2, where we have free refreshments. Find the map and more details at wellingboroughecogroup.org.uk/eco/circular

The Great Big Green Week this Tuesday!

Wellingborough Eco Group, Wellie Wombles & Co-op

We’re having a huge ‘village fete’ of a celebration for The Great Big Green Week at ECO HUB Glamis Hall this Tuesday afternoon. Join us for our weekly activities inside and lots of stalls outside:

  • Happy Cafe 12-6 (free food and hot drinks)
  • Tuesday Tidy Ups 12-6 (litter picking)
  • Wellingborough Swap Shop 2-6 (swap or donate)
  • Food Sharers 2-6 (free food from supermarkets)
  • Eco & Recycling Games 2-6 (just 50p a go!)
  • Co-op Sustainability LIVE 2-4 (find out more!)
  • Northants Veggies & Vegans BBQ 1-4 (just £2!)
  • Energy Savers advice from Val at Utility Warehouse 1-4

This is our largest event ever, you could not pick a better time to come and visit us! With so much on, and most of it for free, we would love to welcome you to ECO HUB, home of Wellingborough Eco Group, this Tuesday afternoon. See you there!