Circular Communities Scotland‘s Reuse Consortium is delighted to report that Aberdeen City Council is looking to increase its purchasing through the Reuse Consortium, with the Temporary Accommodation department planning to start buying reuse furniture from Instant Neighbour to furnish its properties.
This partnership will further support Instant Neighbour’s crucial work tackling poverty, as well as reduce the amount of furniture which ends up in landfill.
Our Reuse Consortium Coordinator Nicola visited Instant Neighbour in early October to find out more about it’s ongoing projects, and saw first hand how Instant Neighbour works tirelessly towards the goal of a poverty free Aberdeen, through a whole host of projects in the local community. Some of these projects have been running for over 35 years and continue to make a significant difference in the lives of local community members.
Instant Neighbour’s main work focuses around supporting people on low incomes to set up home by offering access to high-quality, low-cost reuse furniture and other household items through its welcoming Aberdeen stores. It also runs a foodbank, offering emergency food parcels to people in serious need, the Giving Tree which provides children from disadvantaged families with a gift at Christmas, professional carpentry and joinery services at a low cost for struggling households, and employability and training opportunities for people furthest from the workforce.
In 2021, Instant Neighbour delivered 10,500 food parcels to 2,500 clients, 13,500 Christmas gifts to children across North East Scotland and trained 19 volunteers. This work is all possible because of generous donations from the public, local businesses and organisations, and because of profits generated from trading with Aberdeen City Council through the Reuse Consortium.
The Reuse Consortium is looking forward to further supporting and establishing a meaningful working relationship between Instant Neighbour and Aberdeen City Council.
Find our more about Instant Neighbour on their social media channels Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. You can also browse and buy Instant Neighbour’s pre-loved furniture and home wares on its online shop.