In October 2006, Garden Organic hosted the UK Master Composter Conference – the first conference of its kind in this country.

UK Master Composter Conference

Working in partnership with Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Changeworks in Scotland, the two-day event provided the opportunity for Master Composter volunteers from all over the country, and for co-ordinators of home composting volunteer schemes, to meet and learn from each other. It also encouraged other local authorities to consider setting up similar schemes in their area. The event, which was enjoyed by more than 200 delegates, was a fantastic success and there was a strong call for making this an annual gathering.

Dr Margi Lennartsson, Garden Organic’s Director of Research and Development, was chairing the proceedings and she praised the invaluable contribution that Master Composters make to reducing the amount of biodegradable waste that is sent to landfill, and for helping people in their communities to enjoy all the benefits that home composting has to offer. Garden Organic has been pioneering Master Composter Schemes for over six years in the UK, and with the recent increase in the number of schemes the conference provided a timely platform to highlight the benefits of volunteer schemes and to recognize the unique role that volunteers have in making these initiatives successful. It is hoped that the conference will go from strength over the coming years.

You can access reports from the conference in the Downloads area .