Streetbank Stories
Jack Pritchard Age: 28
Location: Oxford
On Streetbank Jack has found “one man's trash is another man's treasure". He loves the way Streetbank helps to match up unwanted things with people that need them. Jack has given away all kinds of weird and wonderful things including an overhead projector to a youththeatre project, some fresh mint to a horse and some refurbished sign-boards to a community café. He’s also lent out his apple-press and given away “less exciting things” such as a typewriter, bike tools and advice on finding harp-players. Jack has also used the site to publicise the ‘wild food map’ of Oxford. Jack’s neighbours have given him a starter culture for cheese-making, a sewing machine (after nine people offered to lend one) and even some grapes to make wine from - wine which was then shared with the grape-growers. Jack told us that his favourite Streetbank experience was when he moved to Kent for a few months. He posted a request asking about good places to go wild swimming and was recommended a spot on the River Medway which he visited regularly. Jack likes the fact that the site doesn't require too much time. He said “many community projects require long-term or regular commitment, but Streetbank provides a way to engage positively with other people in a way that doesn't need this. Users of the site can give as much or as little as they want offering things only when they've got the time and energy to do so”.