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The Hull Freecycle group is part of a global network designed to keep unwanted items from ending up in landfill.

The non-profit organisation was set up in 2003 in Tucson, Arizona and quickly spread around the world. Groups are kept as local as possible to avoid members from travelling long distances; to reduce their carbon footprint.

Eve Laws: Hull group organiser

The Hull branch was set up in 2005 and has over 3,500 members. Group organiser Eve Laws says the idea is a high-tech update of a traditional system. “When I was younger and setting up my first home a lot of family member passed items on that they had when they started, and they upgraded and didn’t need anymore. So my first home was furnished with other people’s cast-offs.Ìý Nowadays, with families not living close together, not so much of that goes on, but with the Freecycle community you’re doing just that in a modern technological way.â€�

All sorts of goods are donated, children’s clothes, books and DVDs. Many things are given away two or three times as members use an item then pass it on.

Although primarily set up for environmental reasons the credit crunch has seen the membership expand as people join-up to try and make ends meet, as Eve Laws explains. “People are more aware of how much money they’ve got in their pocket and being a bit more careful with what they are doing with their money. So there is a lot more interest from that respect. There have been a lot more members stating it as a reason for joining.�

As well as the recycling there is a social aspect to the group, with many people forging friendships with others they have met through trading.