BENGALURU: In order to promote the idea of reduce, reuse and recycle and at the same time raise funds to maintain a public park, residents of Cooke Town and RWA of Bengaluru East are organising a second hand flea market on May 28.
Milton Street Park is a small park managed by the residents of the area. For the past two years, the residents have been organising flea markets for the Park’s upkeep called “Hand-in-Hand Flea Market”. Its seventh edition will be the first of its kind and will feature second hand products that are in good condition.
“I shall be selling a few cloth materials that I have not used for my designs,” says Shiela D’mello, a dress maker. “Second hand products make so much sense. If I do not want to use a particular handbag because I’ve used it up to my satisfaction, I might as well sell to those who need it,” adds Shiela.
Anyone from any part of the city can participate in the flea. The items to be sold are not confined yet.
The post was up on social media and about 12 people have come forward to sell their products including televisions and computers.
”We suggest people to sell such large products online. Click a picture and upload to get a buyer otherwise it may be a huge task for the seller to get it at the flea,” says Kiran Castelino, member of Resident Welfare Association of East Bengaluru(REWABE).
“We came up with this idea because we can see that so much of garbage is generated every day in the city. We have turned into a consumerist society. We were not so a long time ago,”adds Kiran, who has been living in the area almost all her life.
“We want to go back to the time when plastic was not a necessity and bread was wrapped in a paper. This is our attempt to reduce the garbage and divert people’s perception and encourage them to use second-hand goods,” Kiran says.
She heard an interesting story about the Park when as a child. “I’ve heard that the Park was an abandoned piece of land and builders and politicians wanted to take the land. A man called Raju from Cooke town fought hard for the land,” she narrates.
The residents have a special connect with the Park as they go out for morning walks and evening strolls. The park was also recently made disable-friendly by adding more ramps.
The flea market will take place at the Milton Park and you can expect appliances, clothes, handbags, materials and also reusable diapers.