Barnet to open its first furniture reuse centre

The London borough of Barnet is set to open its first furniture reuse centre next month after receiving confirmation of funding for the project.

The Centre, which will be situated at a warehouse on Queens Parade in Friern Barnet, will allow residents to donate unwanted items, which will be checked, and if necessary repaired, by staff and volunteers for resale.

The Centre will also work with other social enterprises in North London to repair and refurbish some items.

In particular, the initiative is aimed at helping those families struggling financially in the wake of the economic downturn, which includes the 15,000 council properties managed by social landlord Barnet Homes.

The project is being run by a charity set up by Barnet Homes but is operating as a separate entity, which will enable the creation of three fulltime jobs and more than 20 volunteer placements.

Funding

In total, the Centre received £200,000 in funding support from the London Waste & Recycling Board (LWARB). It is also supported by the London Reuse Network, which was established with £8 million in LWARB funding to coordinate reuse efforts across the capital (see letsrecycle.com story).

Commenting on the project, Tracey Lees, chief executive of Barnet Homes, said: “We're delighted to have received confirmation of the final portion of funding we need to establish this project.
“This all came about after some of our staff raised the issue of families having difficulty buying decent furniture at an affordable price, and the sheer amount of good quality furniture that was simply being thrown away.”

Councillor Richard Cornelius, cabinet member for housing at Barnet council, said: “This excellent scheme will provide a helping hand to families in need. It is really good when useful furniture that would otherwise be thrown away can continue in use.”

The organisation will be setting up a dedicated phone number for people who wish to donate items once the centre is officially opened. In the meantime residents can call Barnet Homes or contact beth.swallow@barnethomes.org for more information.