The Renew Friends project in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham will provide employment and training opportunities for 50 over the next two and a half years and aims to refurbish at least 400 tonnes of fridges, washing machines and other electronic equipment.
 MP Jon Cruddas MP (left) with Cllr Kay Flint, Mayor of Barking & Dagenham, and Renew Friends MD Mike Jenn |
The project is a partnership between social enterprise groups the Renew Trust and Ozone Friends. Electrical equipment will be provided by electrical retail chain Comet and once refurbished will go to low income families through charity shops run by Scope.
Launching the project this week, Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas said: “It is great to see Renew Friends opening here in the Borough. It is very important that we have such initiatives to boost skills and regeneration in this part of London. These are two concerns very close to my heart.”
Most of the funding for the project has come from the European Social fund (262,000) and the London Development Agency (248,000). A further 85,000 has been allocated to the Barking project from the 1.4 million the Renew Trust gained from Landfill Tax Credits via the SITA Environmental Trust. And, market development agency London Remade is providing 78,000 for three vehicles.
London Remade chief executive Hugh Carr-Harris said: “This project demonstrates how unwanted and damaged white goods cannot only be turned into valuable products helping to raise the standards of living for those on lower incomes, but at the same time, provides valuable economic regeneration in the form of job and training opportunities within the Thames Gateway.”
Renew Friends marks the fifth such endeavour by the Renew Trust across the country, with similar operations in Gateshead, Leeds, Eastleigh and Preston. The Trust is expected to refurbish nearly 22,000 tonnes and recycle around 108,000 tonnes of equipment by next year.
Colin Crooks, chief executive of the Renew Trust as well as furniture reuse group Green-Works, said: “Renew centres offer training for people who would be unlikely to be given a break elsewhere. It’s vital that these people have a period of work experience so they can learn what is expected in the workplace and we support them until they gain full-time employment elsewhere.”
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