Barnet Council has released a new video to promote the council’s free community skips service.

The service is currently being used by more than 83 households a day, and the video’s aim is to encourage residents to make use and benefit from the service.

As well as helping to dispose of large items and taking a step forward against fly-tipping, the initiative behind community skips also has a social effect.

Since it began in November 2022, visiting the skips has led to conversations with neighbours and even helped address loneliness and encourage community spirit. All of which supports the new vision for Barnet, Caring for people, our places and the planet:  Our Plan for Barnet.

Barnet Council’s Environment & Climate Change Committee Chair, Cllr Alan Schneiderman, said: “The free community skips service has been popular with Barnet households and is a great way not just to dispose of items, but to also keep in touch with friends and neighbours.

“We hope this video will further showcase this excellent initiative and encourage more residents to make use of the service.”

The community skips service is managed by Barnet Council’s Street Scene team and allows households in the borough to dispose of up to three large items at no charge. It is available to each household in the borough once every three months.

The council is exploring ways to donate items deposited that are in good condition, to help reduce waste and be more sustainable, and where possible will recycle items collected from the community skips.

The service is accessible across 74 locations in Barnet and residents will have one location allocated to them every three months.  Residents can check their skip service dates and locations at www.barnet.gov.uk/communityskips.

Filming took place in Barnet with a real community skips team at a live service location. John Savage (local actor) and Kashka Frycz (council employee) play the leading roles. Paul Gannon, Community Skip Liaison Officer plays himself and background characters are officers from the council’s Street Scene team. All participants in the video are volunteers.