East Durham Partnership recycles furniture to help the needy

May 5 2009 by Amy Hunt, The Journal

FURNITURE cast aside is being given a new lease of life and helping families go green. The East Durham Partnership takes in unwanted furniture and white goods, refurbishes them and offers them at knock-down prices to people who need them.

Run by social entrepreneur Ellen Foxton and based on the Seaview Industrial Estate in Easington, County Durham, the project collects items from people’s homes, and council transfer stations and takes them to their workshop for repair and refurbishment.

The partnership also collects unwanted office furniture from businesses, schools and universities which can be reused and offered to community groups, care homes and people starting up small businesses, saving it from landfill.

The refurbishment work is done by skilled staff who are also training long-term unemployed and vulnerable adults to make them more employable.

After the items have been refurbished and checked they are offered for re-sale at favourable prices to members of the public at the showroom. Discounts are given to people on certain benefits.

Jo Lane, waste performance team leader for Durham County Council, which is supporting the project, said: “We are tremendously impressed by the work of the East Durham Partnership. They are putting our principles into practice and creating jobs at the same time.