Compost Collective Leeds
At FoodWise Leeds we believe that food waste should be composted and not thrown in the bin.
Compost Collective Leeds was a community composting project set up in collaboration with communities across Leeds. It ran from February 2022 through to August 2025.
Growing the Movement
With strong links to the Leeds Food Strategy, the vision for Compost Collective Leeds was to work in partnership with local communities to grow a network of community compost sites across Leeds. It provided communities with tangible ways to take action in caring for themselves, their communities and the planet.
Our approach to community composting was inspired by the model from Brighton & Hove Food Partnership.
In 2024, Compost Collective Leeds set up 7 schemes built 19 compost bins trained 110 volunteers and diverted 1,963 kgs of food waste material from landfill.
Links to city-wide schemes:
Compost Collective Armley – In collaboration with Climate Action Armley, Armley Common Rights Trust – in Charlie Cake Park. More information here.
Compost Collective Chapeltown – In collaboration with Feel Good Factor on Louis Street – view this short video about their latest bin build.
Compost Collective Garforth – In collaboration with Incredible Edible Garforth and Eco-Friendly Garforth located at Oak Grove (LS25 1PP).
Compost Collective Gipton – In collaboration with Space 2 located at Gipton Old Fire Station – Not taking new members currently.
Compost Collective Horsforth – In collaboration with Horsforth Climate Action located at Drury Field on Drury Avenue – view location.
Compost Collective Hunslet – In collaboration with Hunslet & Riverside. Listen to Sam tell you about their successes here.
Compost Collective Killingbeck – In collaboration with Ls14 Trust located at Killingbeck Orchard on back Storey Close – view location.
Compost Collective Seacroft – One of the first schemes set up with with We Are Seacroft, Climate Action Seacroft and LS14 Trust. Not taking new members currently.
Benefits of Composting
- Builds confidence knowledge and awareness of food waste
- Free soil for yourself and your local community
- A great way to help the planet by diverting local food waste
- Build community and social connection
Where we started.
Did you know 200 kilos of food waste is produced by the average Leeds household each year?*
And yet 40% of the average household’s bin contents are suitable for composting?**
This is where the aims of Compost Collective Leeds first began to grow.
USEFUL LINKS ABOUT COMPOSTING AND FOOD WASTE
- Composting at home (Garden Organic)
- Why we need to reduce food waste (Love Food, Hate Waste)
- Other methods of Composting – Bokashi Composting, Creating a Wormery
- Leeds Blue Marble – award winning Bokashi composting in Leeds
- Leeds Rotters – more composting information and resources.
