SHRUB Newsletter: August 2025

SHRUB Coop
Aug 26
4 min read

☀️ Hello SHRUB Community! ☀️

As many of you know, the closure of the Zero Waste Hub earlier this year has brought some ongoing admin challenges which have slowed us down at times.

We’re also aware that some of you are still receiving membership emails that don’t reflect the current situation. Memberships and related benefits are very much a work in progress, and we thank you for your patience while we continue to figure out the best way forward.

Despite these hangovers, it’s been a while since our last update and we’re excited to share what’s been happening at SHRUB - let’s dive in 🌱

💰 Funding Update 💰

🗳️ ECCAN Greenlight Funding Open - Have Your Say! 🗳️

Vote to help us get funding for our Commuter Bike Buddies and Buses (CBBBs) project in partnership with Spokes, and Edi.Bike!

1️⃣ Join ECCAN for free here: www.eccan.scot/join-eccan

2️⃣ Vote for Wee Spoke Hub (Project A6) here: www.eccan.scot/greenlightvoting

3️⃣ Rank 3 projects in each category for your vote to count

4️⃣ Share this post with your community and relatives

🕚 Voting closes Fri 29 Aug 5pm. Vote today! 🕚

🚲 SEStran People and Place Community Grant Fund 🚲

The Wee Spoke Hub has received £33,968 from the SEStran People and Place Community Grant Fund, to support its Bike-DIY and training workshops until March 2026! 🎉

The grant includes resource funding to support a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer role, and we're super excited to announce that we are now hiring for this position. The job description and application process can be downloaded here.

💚 Regenerative Future’s Fund 💚

We’re delighted to announce that SHRUB has received funding to join the Regenerative Futures Fund (RFF) capacity-building phase.

We’re now part of a cohort of 34 amazing groups, working together to develop long-term strategies for climate action. This funding does not guarantee future funding, but it’s a fantastic chance for SHRUB to reflect, plan, and co-create our vision for the future.

We’ll be reaching out for your input throughout this process - stay tuned for ways to get involved!

👉 Find out more about the RFF capacity-building phase here.

🚨 Recruitment Opportunities at SHRUB 🚨

We’re looking for enthusiastic folks to join SHRUB’s team! There are volunteer opportunities and one paid position (funded by the SEStran People and Place Community Grant Fund) detailed below.

Voluntary Position(s)

💼 Trustees - Help guide SHRUB’s strategic direction and governance! If you’re interested in getting involved, or would like to recommend someone – we’d love to hear from you. For any further information and informal discussion about the role, please email trustees@shrubcoop.org.

🥗 Food Sharing - Join our Food Sharing collections and sorting team currently based at the Pavillion Café at the Meadows. For more info, please email the Food Sharing group via foodsharing@shrubcoop.org.

🌐 Communications - Do you have experience with social media, website management, or design? Help us keep the community updated, highlight events, and celebrate SHRUB’s impact through our newsletters and social platforms. For more info, please email hello@shrubcoop.org.

Paid Position(s)

🚲 Wee Spoke Hub Monitoring & Evaluation Officer - Support our cycling project by tracking impact and outcomes. Download the Job Description & Application Process here.

🧵 Sewing & Mending Update 🧵

💚 New Location for Weekly “Repair What You Wear” Sessions 💚

We’re excited to announce that our weekly Repair What You Wear sessions now have a permanent home for 2025/2026 at Tollcross Community Centre!

🗓️ When: Wednesdays (not Tuesdays!) from 5:30–7:30pm.

📅 First session: Wednesday 3rd September

📍 Where: Tollcross Community Centre, 117 Fountainbridge, EH3 9QG

🔎 What3words: toxic.clash.supper

Please Note: The entrance is located across the street from the Edinburgh Meat Market arches.

Bring along your clothes to repair, alter, or customise, and join a welcoming space to share skills and get advice. Whether you’re a total beginner or a sewing expert, you’re very welcome.

✨ Free & open to everyone - no need to book, just drop in! (There’s tea and biscuits ☕)

📚 "Stitch It, Don't Ditch It” Book - Out Now! 📚

We’re so proud to share that “Stitch It, Don’t Ditch It: Simple Hand-sewn Repairs to Help You Love Your Clothes for Longer” has been released, co-authored by SHRUB’s sewing volunteer Mary V Morton (@EdinburghStreetStitchers) and Jeanna Wigger (@ThePeoplesMending).

It’s designed for absolute beginners and full of simple, creative ways to make your clothes last.

✨ You can buy it online, from your local independent bookseller, or pick up a copy directly from The Wee Spoke Hub.

🧡 Copies purchased from the Wee Spoke Hub provide the maximum donation back into SHRUB funds, helping us continue our work.

If you missed out on a signed copy, Mary has kindly offered to sign your book or add a personal dedication. Just ask her next time you see her, or email mary@shrubcoop.org.

🎪 August Events Update 🎪

Our volunteers have been busy this month sharing repair skills and creativity with the wider community. Here are a few highlights!

🏫 Secondary Schools Teen Takeover Day 🏫

On Thursday 21st, the Edinburgh Street Stitchers ran a fun workshop at the Teen Takeover Day Discovery Zone, helping young people make reusable gift tags from waste upholstery fabric and donated felt. Thanks to SHRUB sewing volunteers who prepped the materials, it worked perfectly as a quick 10-minute activity!

🎪 Repair Sheds at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 🎪

SHRUB sewing volunteers teamed up with Ros Studd (Repair What You Wear) to run textile mending sessions on Friday 15th and Sunday 24th. A special shoutout to Ione, who was a star with all the kids!

Meanwhile, the Wee Spoke Hub hosted two Bike Repair & Puncture Repair workshops.

We had great conversations with the public, raising awareness of textile waste - did you know textiles make up 6% of Scottish household waste but more than 30% of its carbon footprint? - and encouraging folks to pick up basic garment and bike repair skills.

💚A HUGE thank you to everyone who volunteered, participated, or popped by to say hello!