Circular Communities Scotland’s Reuse Consortium has gone from strength to strength over the past year. As we reached the end of the financial year-end on the 31st March, our new Reuse Consortium Coordinator Rhoda had an opportunity to reflect, and also set out hopes for the year ahead.
Rhoda says…
In April I was finalising the statistics for the financial year 2022/23 and looking over the life of the Reuse Consortium.
The previous financial year saw the Reuse Consortium achieve the Million Milestone of Kg waste diverted from landfill, and this year of 2022/23 saw another cumulative Million Milestone reached. Since 2016 there has been an estimated budget saving of £1.09m to Local Authorities and Housing Associations purchasing from the Reuse Consortium in comparison to buying new good. This enables Council and Housing Association funds to go further.
The numbers are one aspect of reporting, but it is always interesting and important to explore the story behind the numbers. I am enjoying getting to know our members better and hearing about the real life impact the Reuse Consortium is having on communities across Scotland.
Trading for the year was strong with an increase of 22%. This meant that over 3000 low-income households were helped, receiving quality reuse furniture and white goods.
All of our Reuse Consortium members are social enterprises, suppling families in their communities, mainly through the Scottish Welfare Fund. Many of the organisations use their involvement as an opportunity to provide employment to those who may normally find this difficult to secure. Having visited a few of the Consortium members over the past month and heard first-hand the impact of their business is inspiring.
Over and above the supportive employment and training to staff which impacts the local community in a positive way, there is the benefit to the families that receive the furniture and white goods. Households include people who usually have had some life-challenges and being able to have their home furnished individually builds confidence and self- esteem for the adults as the well as the children in the family. A more stable and comfortable environment can be the start of a more positive future for everyone involved. This is what buying from the consortium can spark.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Reuse Consortium, contact Rhoda at rhoda@circularcommunities.scot.