The power of community is what drives all that we do at Cherwell Collective. We are reminded of that every time the community shows up for us and supports our ability to provide services back to the community. Recently, a group of volunteers from Essentra Components showed up for us in a big way as part of their company’s annual volunteer day. The group provided much needed support to the programme that got everything started for Cherwell Collective, Oxford Party Library.

What Is the Oxford Party Library?

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the launch of programmes like our Climatarian Cafe and Cherwell Larder, there was Oxford Party Library (OPL). The OPL was our earliest endeavor to help the community in Oxfordshire reduce waste and in doing so reduce the Carbon Cost of putting on a party. It all started when our founder Dr. Emily Connally put on a pirate themed party for one of her children. She soon recognized that all the decorations and party supplies become hugely wasteful if not reused by other families.

Emily saved the supplies from her pirate party, and collected lightly used tableware, crockery, and other supplies from restaurants, catering companies, and households in the community, saving these items from the bin. Put together, these items would now become part of the OPL, a “library of things” that community members can borrow for either free or a very modest charge.  Instead of buying single-use items for events and parties, community members can get what they need from OPL, which helps reduce landfill and limit the excessive greenhouse gas emissions needed to manufacture new goods.

Using a library of things is an easy and highly impactful way ordinary consumers can participate in the circular economy.

Essentra’s Impact

In April, a group of 15 enthusiastic volunteers from Essentra joined us at the OPL barn. Their mission was to help us with a vital task: organizing, cataloguing, cleaning, and photographing the hundreds of items stored there.

The team worked with efficiency, dividing into two groups led by our supervisors, Victoria and Migi. They recorded details for each item, including measurements, weight, condition, quantity, material, and its storage location. By the end of the day, they had catalogued an impressive 308 items! This systematic approach has made a huge difference, making it so much easier for us to manage and loan out our party supplies.

Be a Corporate Volunteer Partner With Us

By partnering with us, companies can effectively meet their Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) targets, specifically within the ‘Our Communities’ pillar of their sustainability strategy. Our 2024 Impact Report showcased that the combined Carbon Cost savings of the OPL loans were 2,400 car-mile equivalents by avoiding the manufacturing of new goods and single-use items. 

Thank you, Essentra UK Marketing Team, for your incredible energy and dedication! We look forward to more opportunities to work together. If your company would like to work with us to help reduce waste and lower the Carbon Cost of the community, please see our corporate partnership page.