£5 wormeries for Southwark residents

Southwark residents with limited outdoor space can still turn their food waste into a rich compost for window boxes and plant pots by ordering a wormery.

250 wormeries have already been snapped up in a pilot scheme run by Southwark Council in partnership with CRISP (Community Recycling in Southwark Project).

Because of the scheme's success a further 250 are now available and come with a comprehensive guide as well as access to a free telephone helpline.

St Mungo's wood workshop helps to develop the skills and confidence of homeless men and women who are often vulnerable and need help to make a positive change to their lives.

"Everyone's been working really hard to complete the wormeries to the highest standard," says wood workshop supervisor Steve Jennings. "A project like this gives homeless men and women a chance to gain some training and work experience and it's always good to see their confidence grow whilst working here."

Volunteer Pete Philpotts says that making the wormeries has kept him really busy: "It's been great to work on such a big project, it gives me a real sense of achievement when I see how many wormeries we have built."

The worms reduce organic kitchen waste by around 80 per cent and can eat up to 75 per cent of their own body weight every day.

"Wormeries are an easy and hygienic way to compost kitchen waste for the thousands of Southwark residents who don't have a garden or room for a composter," says Cllr Lisa Rajan, Southwark's executive member for environment and transport.

"They are self-contained, simple to use and only cost £5. They also help reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill, which is vitally important for the future of our environment and resources.

"More and more people are prioritising the environment and minimising the waste they produce and I would like to encourage residents to give the wormeries a try. "

• To order a wormery for £5 (excluding delivery), please contact CRISP on 020 7252 7709 or email [email protected]