If living more sustainably is one of your New Year’s resolutions, then the launch of Share Bedford’s ‘library of things’ is here to help.
The new initiative will enable members to borrow items for a small fee from their base at Bedford Central Library. From jet washers to pasta makers, leaf blowers to cat carriers, they hope that Bedfordians will pool their resources to borrow rather than buy.
And the benefits are many: you’ll save money, reduce waste and consumption, have a less cluttered house and use things more meaningfully.
The charity, which is run by volunteers, opened for donations of ‘things’ at the end of 2024 and they are now officially open for business at the library in Harpur Square.
“Everyone has been so supportive and excited about the project,” said Share Bedford’s Susan Throssell. “Not only have people reached out to donate items for the library, but we’ve met so many like-minded groups and we’re building a wonderful community around sustainability and the circular economy.
“Borrowing and sharing not only saves money and reduces waste – important steps for our planet – but also challenges the consumer-driven culture and I love that idea as a quiet form of protest.”
Every Wednesday (12pm – 2pm) and Saturday (10am – 12pm), Share Bedford volunteers will be on the second floor at Bedford Central Library to sign up new members, arrange donations and hand over borrowed items.
So if your garage is full of tools gathering dust, your cupboard under the stairs houses a sewing machine not getting much use or there’s a set of golf clubs in your shed, Share Bedford would love to hear from you.
”Did you know that the average lifetime use of a drill is just 12-13 minutes? It makes sense to borrow rather than buy.” Share Bedford trustee, Richard Baker
“I’m passionate about building community and creating spaces where people can connect, even for just a moment,” said Susan.
“Share Bedford is about relationships, showing care for one another, and making gentle connections while saving money in the process. Oh, and if anyone would like to donate a karaoke machine, it’s my 50th birthday this year and I’d love to borrow one for the big day…”
How to join
There are a variety of membership options for Share Bedford’s library of Things. £5 per year is the standard membership, but if you’d like to help provide membership for those in need you can opt for the £10 a year option. If you are a member of Bedford Credit Union or on a low income, a discretionary membership of £2.50 is available.
To complete your membership, you will need to provide two forms of ID when you borrow your first item.
You can join up here.
What to donate and how to donate
If you would like to donate, here are some guidelines of ‘things’ that Share Bedford could make use of:
Garden things:
Lawn Raker
Pressure washer with patio cleaning head
Strimmer
Hedge trimmer/Grass strimmer/Pole hedge trimmer
Pizza oven
DIY things:
Sander
Sack barrow
Drill
Mitre saw/Reciprocating saw/Circular saw/Jig saw
Spirit level
Electric planer
Wallpaper stripper
Paste table
Angle grinder
Ladder
Extension lead
Fun things:
Jigsaws
Games
Big garden games
Candyfloss maker/popcorn maker/chocolate fountain
Karaoke machine
Disco ball
Badge maker
Bubble machine
Household things:
Cake mixer
Dehydrator
Specialised cake tins
Whiteboard
Wheelchair
Air fryer
Breadmaker
How to donate
If you have ‘things’ that you would like to donate to Share Bedford, you can get in touch either via the contact page on their website or you can email info@sharebedford.org.
