Join the Neighbourhoods Team for a host of activities to celebrate Recycle Week 2022, starting on Monday 19 September. 

We'll be kicking things off at the Wanstead Festival on Sunday 18 September - come and say hello and join us for recycling tips and advice plus ideas to reduce food waste, start composting and learn about reusable nappies. Bringing the family? Why not join our pop up Play Street too!

During Recycle Week we'll be in the foyer at Redbridge Central Library on Thursday 22 September from 10am until 12pm, to answer all your recycling questions.

We're also excited to be offering our recycling assembly 'Precious 'Materials, Precious Earth' to Redbridge primary schools during Recycle Week 2022. There is still time to book us in at your school via email: ourneighbourhood@redbridge.gov.uk

This month we met with Redbridge business owner Zuzi, who is opening One Planet, a new zero waste refill shop in South Woodford on 10 September. We chatted about living zero waste ahead of Zero Waste Week 2022.

For those that don't know, a zero waste or refill shop is, in Zuzi's words, "just like any other supermarket, but everything you purchase will be taken home in reusable containers,  like reusable takeaway containers, fabric bags or paper bags. We sell everything single-use plastic free"

Zuzi explains where her zero waste journey started, "I was working for a waste management company when I realised I was part of the problem. I saw the mountains of waste and the volume of single use plastic being brought in. I realised recycling wasn’t enough, so I started reducing my waste. I researched refill shops in London and found two nearby."

It can sometimes feel overwhelming knowing where to start on a zero waste lifestyle, so we've put together some ideas for going single use plastic free on our website. We asked Zuzi what she would recommend trying to reduce first? "I found cleaning products were the easiest. When I used up a bottle, I set it aside and at the end of the week I took it to the refill shop and refilled it. You can’t stop using all plastic immediately, it would be too hard!"

We asked Zuzi what her hopes were for One Planet, she said, "I want the shop to be a hub for the community, to start a conversation and see how we can make our area better; to see what we can achieve together."

For more idea on reducing your waste check out our top tips on our website; or why not give refilling a go?

We were so excited that we had a full house at our previous Repair Café on the 23 July in Fullwell Cross Library!  So many of you attended and we repaired 47 items, preventing 1,409kg CO2 emissions, which is the same amount as produced by watching 2446 hours of TV!

The success and interest in these events is growing so we will be offering another free event in partnership with the East London Waste Authority (ELWA) and the local community on Saturday 15 October, between 10:30am to 1:30pm at the Woodford Memorial Hall, 209 High Road, South Woodford E18 2PA.

There will be lots on offer: free electrical, clothing and bike repairs, toy swap, financial advice, recycling and composting advice, and free refreshments provided. Make sure you save the date and turn up early to avoid disappointment.

We are also planning another repair event in Ilford in partnership with ELWA and Transition Town Ilford, keep an eye on our website for more information.

Play streets are a fun and easy way to bring neighbours together as they allow a road to be closed to through traffic for a few hours a month. We have been supporting residents to close their road and run play streets in Redbridge since 2018 and we now have a total of 18 borough wide which have gone from strength to strength.

Nadia, a local play streets lead shares how the initiative has benefited her local community: “our street is made up of a diverse mix of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds and is mainly young families and elderly retired couples. Running play streets has encouraged groups to come together in a safe and accessible way, support one another and build neighbourly bonds.”

Play streets can be as simple as a few chalks, bubbles and a cuppa to full blown community parties, tug of war and Zumba classes.

One of our Play street leads Nargis, summed the purpose of play streets up perfectly, “I have got to know more neighbours in one play street than in the last 3 years I have lived here”

Want to get started? Click the link below to join our information webinar on the 4 October 2022 at 6pm.

For more information visit the play streets webpage.