AGM 2011 Mailbox Report

Freegle Mailbox - Report for AGM 2011

The mailbox has been operating since 11th September 2009, first as a general google account ‘freegleuk@googlemail.com’ and then transferring to a Freegle google account of ‘freegle-info@ilovefreegle.org’. As we use google mail, the messages are sorted automatically into ‘conversations’, some with only two messages (one received, one reply), others with up to a dozen or so messages. We have had over 2900 of these conversations up until the middle of September 2011. Neither of us feel inclined to count the actual total number of individual messages!

We have established lots of folders in the mailbox, so there is a folder for each group, for various subjects, for different countries etc. These folders, coupled with Google’s good search facility, allow us to easily find messages once they are archived, and the storage facility is great, so we have only used up 2% of its capacity.

The following statistics will hopefully give an idea of the type of emails we have received since Freegle began:

• we have had enquiries about Freegle from 14 different countries outside the UK
• 708 people have been sent instructions on how to unsubscribe and/or change their message settings
• 22 people have offered to help moderate a local group
• 12 people have offered to help with the website
• we have logged 1329 ‘conversations’ with 294 individual groups
• 71 group members have complained about their groups, whilst 37 have offered help
• 7 councils have been in contact
• 38 enquirers wanted to know why we moved from Freecycle to Freegle
• we have received 51 ‘offered’ and ‘wanted’ messages, including one person from Ohio wanting 4 kitchen chairs
• and we get appreciative messages for groups too - the latest one was “Just to say thanks and also how impressed we are with your whole operation!! ... You make it all so easy – you are so well organised!!”

We have a remit and we preserve group autonomy by sending any messages that we sensibly can from members to the local group to deal with, and remaining neutral about any rules or actions of groups. We are mindful of confidentiality and hope people trust us to deal with issues discreetly.

Thanks to all the moderators who have responded to us to let us know what is happening to issues we have passed on, and for the friendly emails we get back from groups. It is a privilege to see Freegle performing in such a positive way and to know members up and down the country have such great volunteers who are working for them and their communities..

Jacky and Susan

Freegle Mailbox Team

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