Nottingham-based charity Pulp Friction CIO and local social enterprise The Urban Worm CIC joined forces to trial the first Compost Masters course of its kind.
The 12-week programme gave learning disabled and autistic people the chance to build confidence, learn practical sustainability skills and turn food waste into something valuable, while placing them at the heart of an innovative environmental project from day one.
Pulp Friction aims to transform the lives of autistic and learning-disabled people (their Members) through meaningful, real-life work experience opportunities. With a shared passion for sustainability and community learning, Pulp Friction has worked with The Urban Worm CIC since 2012, ensuring any waste from its cafés is put to productive, environmentally friendly use.
The Urban Worm CIC is a social enterprise that helps households and businesses alike embrace worm farming as a low-cost, low-tech way to turn organic waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser.
Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All and the JN Derbyshire Trust, The Urban Worm has developed and delivered the new 12-week Compost Masters course, selecting Pulp Friction Members as the first group to trial the programme.
From April – July 2026, the 10 Members involved learned everything from the science behind worm farming and how to use “worm tea”, to building their own composting units to use at home. They also took part in a foraging session with James Rigsby of Rigsby’s Seasonal Foods, learning how simple ingredients can be used to make something new.
But the course was about more than composting. By choosing Pulp Friction Members as the first Compost Masters, The Urban Worm recognised their potential not only as learners, but as people with knowledge, skills and experiences worth investing in and sharing. Members were supported to build confidence, develop new expertise and pass that knowledge on to others, helping to grow a more inclusive and sustainable community.
Jill, CEO and co-founder of Pulp Friction, said:
“This has been a fantastic opportunity for our Members. Not only have they learned something new and important, but they’ve also grown in confidence and developed the ability to share their new learnings with others.
Being chosen as the first group to take part in this course has been especially meaningful. Too often, learning disabled people are not given the same opportunities to be at the forefront of new ideas and projects. This course recognised our Members as people with valuable contributions to make – not only within Pulp Friction, but in the wider community too.
It has been a real privilege to learn from Anna at The Urban Worm CIC, and we look forward to working with her again in the future.”
Anna de la Vega, founder of The Urban Worm, added:
“It has been an absolute pleasure to deliver our Compost Masters course for Members of Pulp Friction. Seeing Members grow in confidence and knowledge over the past 12 weeks has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s inspiring to know that the skills they have developed will be shared throughout Pulp Friction and beyond.
The Compost Masters are now fully equipped with invaluable waste management and composting skills that are vital to supporting healthy ecosystems”
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Find out more about:
Pulp Friction CIO and the opportunities they’re providing to learning disabled and autistic people.
The Urban Worm and their revolutionary worm farming offer.
