A community group from Tollesbury has opened a new hut in efforts to reduce the impact of climate change locally.

The Tollesbury Climate Partnership (TCP) opened the seed swap hut this week, after asking residents to suggest ideas for climate-related projects since coming together as a group in August.

Passionate gardener Jill Morgan suggested putting a seed swap hut outside Tollesbury Surgery on the High Street, after a fellow allotment holder who also works at the surgery said it would make a good location.

Since then, Jill has used her creativity as an artist to design and decorate the hut, which was built by villagers with recycled materials donated by residents and Perrywood Garden Centre in Tiptree.

Jill said: "I've loved gardening from an early age, and our allotment group in Tollesbury has always swapped seeds.

"I know that when I was having cancer treatment a few years ago, growing things was a big factor in my recovery and healing. So it just seemed to make sense, with the importance of health and wellbeing, to build the hut just outside the doctors surgery as something positive.

"I've been excited seeing the idea come to fruition. I'm overwhelmed by the support from the community, who have donated recycled materials and seeds for the hut, and neighbours who've spent hours building it."

Visitors can bring packets of vegetable seeds to the hut to swap them with those donated by villagers and the garden centre.

The group is planning to add a notice board to the hut with information on growing vegetables and seasonal recipes.

Members will also provide coffee grains donated by a local business to use for composting and to deter slugs, and recycled plastic pots and trays for sowing seeds.

Since launching in August, TCP has grown to over 100 members and has created six working groups focussing on food, transport, the natural and marine environment, energy and community engagement.

The group hopes to make the village more self-sufficient while planting trees and working with local food suppliers to encourage residents to grow their own food, alongside other initiatives.

You can follow TCP on Facebook here and Instagram here.