Following the adoption of the phone box by the Parish Council in Spring 2020 the community were asked to come up with ideas for how it could be given a new role. The idea for Swapbox was formed, being a place where residents could swap or borrow books and puzzles as well as pick-up excess home-grown garden produce.
The council asked for volunteers to take on the management of the box and local residents Jo Jazeel, Edwina Terry and Paul Kerry came forward to offer their assistance. They undertook refurbishing and repainting the box, with the help of local painter / decorator Dan Hinds, and shelves were installed enabling donated stock to be properly displayed. Going forward the volunteers will look after the day-to-day running of the box and the associated Facebook page where requests for stock and updates on what is available will be shared.
The launch itself was hosted by the Parish Council and there was good attendance from representatives of local groups and organisations, including Guides, WI, Scouts, Haslemere Rotary, local churches and the Chiddingfold Village Nursery alongside local residents. Parish Councillor Jane Devlin welcomed all the event and gave thanks to the volunteers who had brought the vision for the old phone box to fruition, before Jo Jazeel cut the ribbon. After the opening there were refreshments and all attendees were able to take away a commemorative bookmark.
Councillor Devlin said of the project “The Parish Council is delighted to support the project; reusing and sharing is something we can all do to spread community spirit and reduce waste. With the box being in a residential area where people pass by all the time, we really hope it will prove popular”.
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Press relase from Chiddingfold Parish Council
