Projects
Wandsworth Work and Play
Filed under: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Wandsworth
Wandsworth Work and Play
Project Summary
Work and Play Scrapstore is Wandsworths Community Scrap Scheme, and it currently relies on one paid staff member, and eight volunteers. The project began in 1988, following the example of other scrapstores in Bristol and Hackney, and in response to a need for an economical and environmentally friendly education resource for small community groups.
Resources and Funding
What resources do you have?
- Leased building (Local Authority)
- Van (Western Riverside Environment Fund LTCS)
- Owned building (ONYX LTCS)
Was funding secured? Where from?
25424310,922 Local Authority, 25424340,000 ONYX LTCS, and 25424324,000 WREF LTCS.
Involving Others
Who got involved in the project?
Local people!
How did you target locals?
Through volunteering opportunities and active membership
What have been the problems, successes and lessons of involving the local community?
Them seeing us as a service (often assuming its council run), and not realising that it is a labour intensive project needing lots of volunteer support.
Training
What training would you advise to those involved in a similar project?
Any small, local project needs training across the board; we cannot buy in specialist help
Working with the Media
Do you actively seek media coverage?
Yes, when we have something to say ?261 telephone or local press. Or when they have something to say about us. For example we appeared on Carlton TVs Your Shout, and a volunteer appeared on Stars in Your Eyes.
Overall Look at the Project
Could you summarise the strengths of the project?
It provides a practical, engaging, and informal way to re-use clean waste materials.
What difficulties are projects like yours likely to encounter?
Re-use is not recycling and though it is higher in the waste management hierarchy tends to be overlooked by many potential funders.
What are the opportunities of the project in the future, your dreams?
To have small to medium scrapstores with local autonomy everywhere. There is useful waste being discarded.
We would welcome help and support in all forms!
Any other advice?
Patience, tenacity, and vision.
Evaluating and Learning from Experience
Do you monitor what the project is achieving?
Yes ?261 visitor records, estimated value of goods taken, membership numbers, origins of member groups, types of member groups, workshop evaluation sheets, volunteer hours and numbers, collection log recording, mileage, and volume of collections.
Who is involved in the process?
One staff member - using databases based on member details, and volunteer and visitor signing in books.
Sustainability in Practice
Please give further details on how your project contributes to sustainability.
By providing a unique collaboration between local business and the local community / voluntary educational sectors.
Networking
Wandsworth Work and Play informally exchanges information with other scrapstores around the country.
Alan would be more than happy to answer enquiries from others involved in similar projects.
http://www.connectedup.com/scrapstore/index.htm
Project Address
| C/o The Professional Centre |
| Franciscan Road |
| Tooting Broadway |
| SW17 8HE |