The Courier goes behind the scenes at the Recycling Warehouse
3rd April 2009
Sundari Sankar, with additional reporting by Tabassum Rasheed
Second-hand soafs, bicycles, books, television, pushcahirs and mountains of mugs are up for sale at Leamington's Recycling Warehouse. And more than 100 volunteers make this possible.
The Princes Drive Reycling Warehouse, which is run by environmental group Action 21, Warwickshire County Council and Bath Place Community Venture [sic], takes in unwanted goods which would otherwise go to landfill. Volunteers sort through them, repair them and sell them on. About ten tonnes of goods have been saved from landfill enery month since January 2006. This marathon effort has involved more than 100 volunteers - many of them testing donated electrical goods and repairing bicycles. The operation has grown so large that the workshops are expanding.
Action 21's volunteer development worker Amy Footer, 25, said more volunteers are needed as increasing numbers of goods and customers continue to roll in. She said: "We're soon hoping to move our Aciton 21 headwuarters to a new space in Ramsey Road, Sydenham, where we will also have more warehouse space for volunteers to test electrical equipment and repair bicycles.
"There are lots of different roles. If you have an interest in the environment and sustainability, volunteering with us is a way of doing something active to address those issues."
She added: "The atmosphere is really friendly and relaxed and it's good work experience for anumber of jobs."
'We've just bought a scooter and a pogo stick for the grandchildren'
Leamington resident Keith Glover takes his great-grandchildren to the warehouse every time them make a trip to Sainsbury's, both to donate the children's outgrown belongings and to peruse the goods on offer. He said: "Whenever we're passing we drop off books and stuffed toys - it seems a shame to skip them.
"If anyone else can make use of them, you might as well reycle them. Today we're buying some mugs."
Tanya and Terry Peterson visit the warehouse three or four times a week to donate and to buy toys and household goods. Mr Peterson said: "It's an interesting place and a good recycling shop. We've just bought a scooter and a pogo stick for our grandchildren. Sometimes the prices are high but overall they're good."
Reuben Moore, 42, from Stretton-on-Dunsmore, has been the warehouse's shop manager for three yeras. He said: "You never know what's going to come in next."
He said most of the furniture is sold for between £5 and £10 and the dearest item ever sold at the shop was a leather sofa for £100.He added: "My own house is full of stuff I bought here - I need to be strict with myself!"
An adult's bike is sold for £35
Anthony Lively, 32, of Bishops Tachbrook, received in-house training at the warehouse's bicycle workshop after signing up to volunteer. It takes one person around one and a half hours to check one bicycle, depending on whether repairs have to take place. An adult bicycle is usually sold for between £35 and £40, while a child's can cost from £15. He said: "I am not working and I have always tinkered with bikes since I was 14 or 15, so I got myself involved. I love it. Since starting here I have built myself a bike from scratch and now I cycle everywhere whether it's rain, snow or ice. It's just the peace of mind you get from knowing you are working on a bike which somebody is going to buy and ride - and knowing it's safe as well."
Fellow volunteer and Bishops Tachbrook resident Michael Elliot, 63, added: "The only things we don't use are damaged frames. We can use all the other parts of the bike - everything is literally recycled. We even re-use the tyres."
Kenilworth resident Simon Grogan, 25, is a trained portable appliance testing volunteer at the warehouse. his full-time 'day job' is with the Dogs Trust. Explaining his role as an appliance tester, he said: "We have to make sure everything is safe and that no-one is going to get electrocuted by using any of the equipment brought in. Most of the stuff that comes in is still good and suitable to be sold in the shop. I decided to do this for a bit of a change and to stop things going to landfill. I am a bit of an environmentalist."
Kevin Hancock, 49, from Warwick, has been volunteering at the warehouse for eight months, on top of his job as an electrical engineer.
He said: "It's a fabulous place - everything here is safety and function tested, which is better than what you would get if you were buying brand new goods. Anything you buy here iss guaranteed to work. A television which would be sold in a shop for £100 would be sold here for about £25. I enjoy being here - it takes me away from everyday life."
Opening times:
The Recycling Warehouse in Princes Drive is open every day from 10am-4pm, including weekends and bank holidays. Anyone can deposit and purchase goods during opening hours and goods from the warehouse can also be purchased through eBay. Anyone aged 14 or older can volunteer, and volunteers are normally asked to commit to one half-day shift a week.
For further details contact Ms Footer on 456072 or email amy@action21.co.uk