Perth & Kinross Council have decided to become a regular purchaser through the Circular Communities Scotland Reuse Consortium following a successful 1.5-month pilot with Transform Community Development.
During the pilot, 548 kg of furniture were diverted from landfill (equivalent to 1.45 tonnes of CO2), 14 low-income households were assisted and approximately £1,518 of Perth & Kinross Council’s budget was saved by purchasing reuse instead of new.
Perth & Kinross Council’s decision to continue purchasing through the Reuse Consortium will also enable Transform Community Development to renew the employment contract of one of their Kickstart scheme employees.
These impressive impact statistics and outcomes demonstrate the considerable benefits for people, place and planet that can be achieved by purchasing through the Reuse Consortium, as well as the budget savings that local authorities can achieve when they choose to purchase quality reuse goods.
Warehouse Manager for Transform Community Development’s Furniture project, David Nicoll, said:
“Transform Community Development are delighted that Perth & Kinross Council have decided to continue purchasing reuse furniture through the Reuse Consortium following a successful pilot with us. Transform Community Development is a charity that exists to meet the needs of vulnerable people across Perthshire and Dundee, providing a range of services such as advice, accommodation, and sheltered employment. Trading with Perth & Kinross Council will provide us with a valuable income stream to help us continue to transform disadvantaged local people’s lives for the better.”
Andrew Salmond, Senior Welfare Fund Officer at Perth & Kinross Council, commented that he was pleased with how the pilot went and looked forward to continuing a positive partnership with Transform Community Development, providing a high-quality reuse furniture option for Scottish Welfare Fund clients, and saving the Council money at the same time.
We are delighted to see another local authority choosing to prioritise reuse and contributing to building a thriving circular economy in Scotland. We look forward to continuing to support Transform Community Development to provide the best possible service to Perth & Kinross Council and their Scottish Welfare Fund clients.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Reuse Consortium, contact Nicola at nicola@circularcommunities.scot.