Liverpool re-use group celebrates 300,000th collection

Run by the Furniture Resource Centre in partnership with Liverpool city council, the service has been collecting and re-distributing old furniture for seven years, with the aim of diverting at least 30% from landfill.

On cue: (left to right) Aintree resident William Ashton hands over his unwanted furniture as Cllr Warren Bradley, Darren Esdaille, Neil Dolan, driver Gary Myddelton and Cllr Berni Turner mark the 300,000th collection by Bulky Bob's

The free service sees collections arranged within two weeks of residents requesting them, potentially saving anything from sofas to cookers, cots to bikes from the tip.

As well as reducing the amount of furniture going to landfill by selling it at low cost to low-income families through the Revive stores, the group offers training and employment to the long-term unemployed.

Since the year 2000, the group said it had saved over 120,000 furniture items from landfill and provided over 600 qualifications for the unemployed.

Council
The 300,000th collection was also marked by Liverpool council leader Cllr Warren Bradley and Cllr Berni Turner, executive member for the environment and heritage in the city.

Bulky Bob’s Shaun Doran said: “We are very pleased to be marking this occasion with the support of Liverpool city council. We work very closely with them to help achieve best value, improve services, tackle poverty and support the growth of social enterprise.”

“We remain committed to our social and environmental goals and we look forward to collecting and recycling the next 300,000 items from Liverpool families,” Mr Doran added.

Cllr Bradley said: “Bulky Bob’s is a great service which we are delighted to support. It is an excellent example of a successful and vital social business, providing a reliable and high quality collection service offering families in need decent cheap furniture and offering award-winning employment and training opportunities.”

Milestone
Aintree resident William Ashton provided the 300,000th collection – a washing machine, snooker table, fridge and chair. As the collection was made, Bulky Bob's gave Mr Ashton a 300 cheque to present to the Whitechapel Centre homeless charity.

Mr Ashton said: “We are really lucky to have a service like Bulky Bob’s in Liverpool and the fact that’s it’s free as well is great. Without Bulky Bob’s I would have had real problems getting rid of all this stuff and I am very pleased to know everything that can be recycled will be.”