Community composting trial extended

Community compost bins will be put in two sites in St Leonards in a partnership between Hastings Borough Council and Hastings Compost Community.

The bins will be in Warrior Square Gardens and Gensing Gardens. These will be the first bins on council-owned land, there are already seven hubs on privately owned land across the town.

Hastings Compost Community will be holding launch events for the new sites, with Warrior Square Gardens on Saturday 5 October, 11am to 1pm, and for Gensing Gardens on Saturday 19 October, 11am to 1pm. There will be free refreshments and you can find out more about the project and sign up if you want to be involved.

All residents can register with the community to use one of the composting sites. When you register you are given instructions on how to compost and the combination to the active compost bin. Registration is free with priority given to households that don't have access to a garden to compost at home.

The other, privately owned, sites are: St John Church St Leonards, Warrior Square Station Gardens, All Saints Church Old Town, Ore Community Centre, The Yard Queens Road, Ore Station and Four Courts Community Centre.

Cllr Jo Walker, lead councillor for environment and neighbourhood wellbeing, said: "We are really excited that we've been able to agree to have these compost bins on council-owned land. We know that lots of people are keen to compost but may not have the space to do this at home. I hope that this offers residents in St Leonards more options to compost their food waste and we will continue to look for sites across the town so we can widen the service to other residents."

You can find out more and register on the Hastings Compost Community website.

Editors' notes:
Hastings Compost Community has been growing since 2021, we are run by a small group of volunteers who are passionate about reducing food waste, creating healthy soil and building community. We're also keen to encourage home composting and home growing and are keen to collaborate with other aligned groups and are planning to develop HCC through outreach and community activities.