Reuse charity first to secure LWaRB funding in 2009

However, the board has remained tight-lipped about the other three projects it considered for funding at its meeting at the end of September despite that fact that it has a backlog of 170 applications to assess.

It has been awarded £100,000 by LWaRB which is expected to help create 69 new jobs.

The organisation already runs two second-hand furniture shops in Hayes and Uxbridge and the LWaRB money is set to be used to open three new outlets in the capital and buy three second -hand vehicles which will be converted to run on biodiesel and used to collect unwanted furniture.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and chair of LWaRB, said: “Trinity is a truly exceptional project. Thanks to this funding, the charity can expand its excellent work in saving perfectly useable furniture from ending up in landfill, whilst also providing employment and skills for homeless people. This ticks all the right boxes in helping to exploit the value of 'waste' and stimulating a green economy in the capital.”

The Board met in September this year to consider four projects for funding and Trinity is the first of these infrastructure project bids to receive cash (see letsrecycle.com story). Until now the sole recipient of LWaRB funding was the 12 month Recycle for London communications campaign which received £1.5 million in September 2008 at the Board's first meeting.

Discussion

A spokeswoman for LWaRB explained that the other three projects that were first examined in September were still under discussion along with the 170 expressions of interest that the Board has now received from projects across London.

She added: “The Board has lots of expressions of interest to go through but there will be announcements as and when decisions are made.”

Steve Hedley, chief executive of Trinity, added that the funding would help create employment and reduce waste to landfill in the capital.

He commented: “Creating employment is the only way socially excluded people can realistically enter the open jobs market. To be able to do this whilst reducing the waste that goes to landfill and provide low cost furniture for low income families is a triple whammy, a trinity of good outcomes. We are so happy that the London Waste and Recycling Board have agreed to help us to make this happen. Over the next three years, this partnership will have a direct impact on many peoples' lives, our community and our environment.”

Since being established, the London Waste and Recycling Board has:

• Agreed a Business Plan setting out its priorities for funding decisions;
• Funded London's largest ever Recycle for London campaign;
• Established a brokerage service (designed to bring together waste producers with those who dispose and manage waste);
• And, received over 170 proposals (expressions of interest) asking for its support which are now being examined in more detail to decide which will receive funding.