Working Groups

Working Groups were originally designed to focus on particular areas/topics, to keep the traffic on the Central group down to manageable levels. In April 2026 they were replaced with Board led groups, with specific delegated responsibilities.

• Finance and Risk Working Group - To safeguard Freegle’s financial integrity, ensure regulatory compliance, and mitigate organisational risk.

• Operations & Tech Working Group - To oversee the stability, security, and continuous development of the Freegle digital platform.

• People & Growth Working Group - To drive Freegle’s expansion through strategic fundraising, communications, and robust volunteer support.

PREVIOUS WORKING GROUP INFORMATION

These were open to all Freegle Volunteers; see here for the membership policy of the central groups. Originally on Yahoo Groups, the ones remaining when Yahoo Groups were closed were transferred to Discourse. Archives of messages on the Yahoo Groups were downloaded and kept for reference.

The Working Groups Procedure document explains how the main groups carried out their business.

Previous Working Groups since Freegle first started in 2009. Previous Working Groups until April 2026 have been:

• Development Working Group formed in 2015, amalgamating the remits of Structure, Growth and Media working groups [1]

• Freegle Funding Group - A group set up for looking at the availability of local and national funding opportunities and offering support to local groups who wish to access financial assistance [2]

• Freegle Tech & Mod Tools - A working group for technical discussions about tools/websites etc. Open to all Freegle Central members who are interested.[3] - this is still a Discourse group, but is a not a working group in terms of delegated powers.

• Freegle Growth - this group was dedicated to supporting Volunteers and Groups achieve growth of their Groups. It was an amalgamation of the Freegle People and Freegle Start groups, but was then amalgamated with others to form the Freegle Development Group in 2015.

• Freegle Legal - A closed group where volunteers could view questions and answers about legalities of Freegle. Closed in 2015 as the Board decided it was more practical to consult over legal matters as needed, minuting discussion and decisions in their Minutes.

• Freegle Media - A Freegle Working Group formed in 2009 to help raise Freegle's media profile and improve visibility of Freegle generally, with an aim to increase member subscriptions. Open to all FreegleUK Central members who are interested. It was amalgamated with others to form the Freegle Development Group in 2015.

• Freegle People - Formed in 2009, this group amalgamated with Freegle Start to become Freegle Growth. Report

• Freegle Start - Formed in 2009, this group amalgamated with Freegle People to become Freegle Growth.

• Freegle Structure - A group formed in 2009 to develop proposals for how Freegle works as an organisation. Open to all Freegle Volunteers who are interested. A Trading Subsidiary Working Team was appointed February 2013. It was amalgamated with others to form the Freegle Development Group in 2015.

Links:

• Freegle Board
• The Freegle Organisation