A DRIVE to get people to appreciate the importance of soil has been launched by the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Team.

In the Cotswolds the team has been working to promote the improvement of soil quality through the creation of peat-free composts and manures.

Working with UK Charity Garden Organic, the JWT has trained a network of volunteer master composters to spread the word about the value of soil enrichment.

One of the volunteers Polly Sayer of Upper Rissington said: “Adding organic materials to the soil makes gardens and allotments thrive.

“If you get the soil condition right then your garden plants will flourish and - even more importantly - any food that you grow will be more healthy and nutritious.

“Composting kitchen and garden waste is the key to creating better quality soil and it doesn’t really take a great deal of effort.

“As a trained Master Composter, one of my main roles is to promote soil enhancement at local events and community venues so we can encourage more residents to decrease the amount of green waste they are sending to landfill.”

Cabinet Member for the Environment at CDC and Gloucestershire Joint Waste Committee Member Cllr Sue Coakley said:“These volunteers deserve our full support, and it is fitting that we should be promoting their work during National Recycling Week.

“Every year Cotswold District residents pay £1.25 million just to bury residual waste, most of which can be recycled in some form or another. Discarded food and garden waste is probably the easiest waste to convert to a better use.

“At CDC we operate a very reasonably priced kerbside green waste collection service - which converts the waste collected to soil enhancer – and we also offer a free weekly food waste collection. However, home composting is an even better solution.”

For more information about Master Composters, composting and compost bins and accessories visit recycleforgloucestershire.com