Twerton Bath

One of Bath’s most popular online social networks has been re-named.

Bath Freecycle, launched in February 2005 as a social group on Yahoo, has attracted over 11,000 members in the local area and has developed a strong reputation as the best place to give away unwanted goods.

Originally, the Freecycle movement began as a grassroots initiative in Texas in 2003. It’s now grown from one small group into a global network of thousands of Yahoo groups all over the world, but has been most successful in English-speaking countries.

Run entirely by volunteers, at local level Freecycle is facilitated by list co-ordinators, or “moderators”.

Over the last 5 years, the Bath group has grown from a handful of members who mostly knew one another through the popular LETS scheme, to its mass membership, with people giving away anything for free: from television sets to building materials, from furniture to Hi-Fi systems, bicycles, kitchen utensils, baby equipment and even the occasional car.