Local projects & activity

Activities local to our office at SUSSED in Porthcawl, Bridgend County include -

Beach Cleans

Sustainable Wales supports beach cleans of the beautiful shoreline of Porthcawl; providing groups with equipment (from Keep Wales Tidy). Activities are based from SUSSED our high street ethical shop. A wide age range of the public takes part - we have held a “silent disco” version of beach cleaning to encourage a different audience of beach cleaners. Regular groups from Churches Together in Porthcawl will meet and pick up the litter keeping our beaches cleaner and safer, and return for a (fairtrade) tea or coffee at SUSSED afterwards.

Repair Café

This regular activity gives people the opportunity to repair their household items that otherwise might go to landfill. Volunteer repairers run the Repair Café on Saturdays above SUSSED and one weekend a month at Trinity, a local church. Although the repairs are free if no parts are purchased; we accept donations for Sustainable Wales after a successful fix. From sewing machines, to 1960s tape recorders, vacuum cleaners and various toys have been repaired and returned to use. Supported by Repair Cafe Wales - who provided PAT testing equipment and promote Repair Cafes throughout Wales. More information on the SUSSED site.

The Green Room

Regular Green Room public events are held on the last Friday evening of the month; featuring poetry, film, music and a vibrant open mic. We have hosted an expansive range of authors and poets and launched many new works over the years. An audio podcast is available to listen to previous events. The Green Room will often travel to new venues to host an event in places from Aberystwyth to London. Find out more about the Green Room.

Fairtrade promotion

Fairtrade Wales initiatives and pop-up Cafés run by volunteers, and events. Home made cakes and savoury meals are provided made with fairtrade and local ingredients. We have provided pop up fairtrade cafés for street entertainers under contract to the local authority for special event weekends in Porthcawl.

Meetings & talks

Primary school talks to pupils are held in the Green Room. Topics for schools have included climate change and air pollution. Other topics of talks and workshops have been Fairtrade, Sustainability, Climate Conversations, shopping ethically, shopping locally, developing people and planet friendly policies for your organisation or business. Meetings have been hosted by Sustainable Wales for Porthcawl Chamber of Trade. Additionally, locally made reusable cotton Welsh flag bunting is provided on St David’s day to local businesses via the town council. The Better Porthcawl group also meets at the Green Room regarding the redevelopment of Porthcawl.

Local Groups Workshops

- Is Your Group People and Planet Friendly?

Sustainable Wales believes that all community groups have a responsibility to respond to the effects of climate change, and biodiversity loss. 

Trustees or Directors will acknowledge that their group’s activities may well have an impact on the environment; and the community group therefore would wish to take steps to minimise those impacts, encouraging a positive response.

Introductory discussions have been held, working alongside BAVO, involving a few groups to review activities and help them take positive steps with fellow Trustees.

Hustings

Local constituency hustings have been organised by Sustainable Wales for Senedd and General Elections; promoting local engagement in democracy. Recordings are

Fundraising

Pop up sales have been created of donated haberdashery - which raise funds for current Disasters Emergency Committee (UK DEC) campaigns and Sustainable Wales.

Hillsboro planters

Volunteers have created flower bed planters from old pallets and maintained a colourful welcome to the town centre, after clearing fly tipped items at an entrance pathway to the high street.

get involved

If you want to help or have any questions about these activities please contact us.

Find out about other Sustainable Wales projects