BATCOM: A community composting scheme solving a local problem and saving the planet

BATCOM is a start-up community composting scheme for Brimscombe and Thrupp in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

It was set up by three people keen to solve a local problem: “In our area we have lots of people with gardens and allotments. But a lot of them live where the council collection lorries can’t access. So they have bonfires, compost themselves or drive their green waste to the local tip, 15 miles away,” said BATCOM co-founder Shelley Tester.

In its embryonic stages, BATCOM plans to redevelop an abandoned industrial estate, with composting bays due to be installed at the end of summer 2024. “We got planning permission in 2023 and we’re ready to start building now,” said Shelley.

Once up and running, the site will operate via an annual subscription service, giving people year-round access to the composting facilities.  

“They can bring their waste, which is sorted into piles and shredded, then placed in a series of very large composting bays,” Shelley explained. “We have six of them. You have to mix up the materials and let it sit, then mix it up again to get air in it. 

“Over a few weeks it becomes compost, which we can re-issue to people to use in their gardens – and we’ll ask for a donation for that.” 

BATCOM set up as a community benefit society – and the subscribers to its scheme will become members. Shelley and her co-founders plan to offer shares to all local residents too. 

“There will be £1 shares available to anyone who lives in the Brimscombe and Thrupp parish,” she said. 

To help make their vision a reality, Shelley and her co-founders turned to the Business Support for Co-ops programme delivered by Co-operatives UK and supported by The Co-operative Bank. 

“We had some brilliant support with our registration process from Jo White from Co-op Futures, through the Business Support for Co-ops programme,” said Shelley. 

 “Jo’s been to visit us here and we’ve talked over Zoom calls. She helped us prepare the application forms. It’s all been really smooth and feels like everything’s been taken care of. 

“There’s a lot of information to take in when setting up a community benefit society and to have someone to talk it through and explain things has been really valuable.

 “We got six months of support for three areas. Now we’re registered, the next step is to get help with our business plan. We’re going to be looking for more funding moving forward, so we need to define what money we need and where that’s going to go. 

In the longer term, BATCOM’s vision is to develop the site beyond composting to include other related activities such as recycling and community gardening. 

“The wider site belongs to Brimscombe and Thrupp Parish Council, who are hugely supportive of BATCOM’s work, and we hope to continue working in partnership with them moving forward,” Shelley said. 

She and her colleagues chose to become a community benefit society because of the benefits they believe the site will have for people in the area. 

“A community composting scheme is valuable to our community. I think that it can be empowering for people to come together and work together to address something as intimidating as the climate crisis,” she said. 

“There’s a feeling of people becoming aware of the state we’re in at the moment and not knowing what to do. To be able to work together with the community and do something tangible, physical and beneficial for those around them is really empowering.” 

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BATCOM – Website | Facebook | Instagram