Training course for master composters
People with an interest in home composting are being invited to join a training course that is the first step on the road to becoming one of Shropshire’s ‘Master Composters’.
The Master Composters are a group of volunteers who spend their spare time promoting home composting across the county to encourage residents to reduce the amount of waste they produce.
The free two-day training course will take place on Saturday 16 April and Sunday 17 April 2011, and there are still a limited number of places available.
The course has been arranged by Shropshire Council and funded by Veolia Environmental Services, the council’s waste contractors. For volunteers from the Telford & Wrekin area, the costs of the course will be funded by Telford & Wrekin Council.
It will be delivered by composting and gardening specialists from Garden Organic – the national organic charity – with support from Shropshire Council’s waste management team.
The first day’s training will take place at Shropshire Wildlife Trust in Shrewsbury and will include background, theory and a site visit to one of the council’s garden waste composting farms. The second day will be based at Garden Organic, the former Henry Doubleday Research Institute in Ryton near Coventry. All refreshments, lunch and transport to and from sites will be provided.
On completion of the course volunteers will be expected to complete at least 30 hours volunteering after which they will graduate as a fully fledged ‘Master Composter’.
Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economy and waste, said:
“Shropshire’s Master Composter make a fantastic contribution to helping reduce waste in Shropshire so it’s great news that we are recruiting more volunteers to the team.”
Donald Macphail, Managing Director of Veolia in Shropshire, said:
“Master Composters give up a great deal of time to help promote composting at home and Veolia are delighted to be able to fund this training programme.”
Further training events will also take place in 2012 and people can call now to express an interest.
For more information about the training taking place this year and next year, please contact James Thompson on 01743 255989.
