72 pairs of wellies (what did their owners wear to trudge out?), 177 portable chairs, 164 mats and 238 tents, including the pop-up type. ~ British Political

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

72 pairs of wellies (what did their owners wear to trudge out?), 177 portable chairs, 164 mats and 238 tents, including the pop-up type.

Festival wellies. These ones were at Glastonbury last year, but they give the Leeds idea too. Photograph: PA

Last week the Guardian Northerner brought you news of the startling number of tents abandoned at last year's Leeds Festival – over 700 – and the imaginative community trading scheme which collects and resells them.

Here's how things are going this year, with sixty volunteers from all over Europe scavenging the dumped stuff in spite of bucketing rain and the traditional English summer festival sea of mud.

They have so far reclaimed 72 pairs of wellies (what did their owners wear to trudge out?), 177 portable chairs, 164 mats and 238 tents, including the pop-up type. A lot of the kit is new and some of it was deliberately donated, but the rest was just too much for tired and soaked shoulders to hike with back to the buses or a hitching spot.

A wet but good time had by all. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine at Leeds. Photo: Gary Wolstenholme Redferns via Getty Images

The Green Messenger project, organised by the Everything is Possible group, will now pass the equipment on to community organisations and individuals in Leeds and in the Yorkshire at a community exchange sale this week. Scavengers from countries including Italy, Poland, Portugal, Estonia, Spain and across the UK got a good deal for their good work, a free ticket each to the three day event, and everyone seems to be happy.

Carmen Avoledo, from Italy, says:

I enjoy the project because it is a good thing to do for the society. It increases awareness of the waste problem. I will never throw anything away anymore. I am also learning a bit more of the culture of the other volunteers.

Salvage continues today and the community exchange will take place on Wednesday 29 August (for organisations) and Thursday 30 August (for organisations and individuals) at ReWork ethical office furniture in Leeds from 10am to 4pm. Equipment will be passed on for a small donation, with money raised going towards developing international projects for young people with fewer opportunities in the UK and all around the world. The project was supported by the festival's organisers, Festival Republic, the British Council and the European Union.

Tuesday, 28 August 2012