Garrigill Village hall was the setting for a Local Exchange event on Sunday 24 Jan 2010, providing opportunities for people to bring, buy, swap and sell goods, ideas and resources, and to raise money for Haitian earthquake survivors.

This was a bit different from previous Lodestone Local Exchange events; it was completely open to everyone to bring, buy, swap or promise anything they want – especially at this time of year, when there may be unwanted Christmas presents cluttering people's spaces. People were asked to make a donation on every exchange they made, to offer prizes for a raffle, to buy raffle tickets, to bring friends and family, and to browse and have some refreshment.

imagine...

£422 collected & sent to UNICEF.
- UNICEF is deploying clean water and sanitation supplies, therapeutic foods, medical supplies and temporary shelter to Jacmel and Port-au-Prince. UNICEF will also be focusing on children who have become separated from their families to protect them from harm or exploitation.

“Since the pub closed in Garrigill last year, there are few opportunities to socialise with friends and neighbours. We staged three local exchanges last year which people really appreciated. Events such as this give us the chance to chat with friends and neighbours and lighten-up dark winter weekends. However, a devastating earthquake causing unimaginable suffering to some of the world's poorest people creates a stark and awful contrast to our own community-life,” said a local organiser. “We really hope that people will join us in support, however small our efforts may be.”