Thanks to the Climate Action Fund Food Use Places programme, the money received from Brighton and Hove Food Partnership meant we could buy our very own Bevy ‘Rocket’ Ridan composter in February.

Since then we’ve been adding 400 litres of mixed waste per week. For every 3 parts we put in, we get 1 part compost.

The Ridan can go from 25 to 60 degrees which means it can tackle almost anything. From green waste – including bindweed; food waste including cooked food, animal bones and bread; all mixed with straw or woodchips, like some giant compost cake. This waste comes from the Bevy, local neighbours and Fareshare who deliver it by electric bike less than a mile away

The result? Compost gold. And 70 litres of it every week.

A sample went to the Soil Redemption lab and the results were very positive – really good compost and full of life.

This has turned Rupert Ridan into a Bevy celebratory and a big talking point at our community events with everyone wanting to have a go turning the handle and watching the compost pour out (less popular, is mixing all the waste to go in).

In the summer we added it to our flagging flower troughs and in a week they were transformed.

Our hanging baskets look so much healthier.

Moulsecoomb Primary took some for their veg beds and had the best ever crop of sweetcorn, squashes and pumpkins (some of which came to the Bevy for Halloween).

We’ve made savings towards zero carbon, financial savings by getting rid of our food waste collection and not having to buy in so much compost – and this will become minimal over time.

Everyone’s a winner – and our punters and fruit, veg and flower garden all love it!

• If you want to help with some gardening, Dave and Shirley are at the Bevy every Wednesday morning 9 till 11am