COMMUNITY
Repair shop – upcycling duo Katie Forde and Rhys Baker .
FURNISHING FUTURES
Upcycling scheme to help Thirteen customers
Talented restorers and recyclers are set to help turn houses into homes for customers who need a little extra help and support .
Thirteen , which owns and manages 35,000 homes across the North-East and Yorkshire , has assembled a specialist upcycling squad to recondition donated and once-loved furniture before giving it away to customers who have low incomes , have lost possessions fleeing dangerous circumstances or have previously been homeless .
The project , launched at the company ’ s recycling centre in Billingham , has already supported many families and is also helping reduce waste – with the UK discarding around 1.6m tonnes of furniture and bulky waste , most of which goes to landfill every year . This includes a staggering 22m pieces of furniture .
The Thirteen upcycling department is led by recycling centre manager Helen Beaman and new recruits , upcycling coordinator Rhys Baker and upcycling operative Katie Forde .
Helen said : “ So many of our customers are having to reassess household spending with the ongoing rises in the cost of living .
“ The upcycling scheme has two huge benefits – it helps customers currently facing such severe financial challenges furnish their homes with clean , restored and attractive furniture and prevents hundreds of tonnes of unwanted furniture going to landfill .”
It ’ s so important that everyone thinks about what happens to their unwanted items and furniture . Upcycling helps to create a circular economy , with materials re-used instead of being turned into waste after one single use . This benefits the planet because it ’ s about being creative and using quality materials we already have , rather than creating new products out of new materials , therefore preserving natural resources and reducing carbon emissions .
“ Thirteen is aiming to reduce our waste by 95 per cent and this proactive approach to reducing , reusing , and recycling unwanted items will be a huge boost to our efforts ,” added Helen .
The recycling centre is just one of the many ways the company is working to reduce waste , protect the environment and achieve its goals in line with the government ’ s target of 100 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 .
62 | Tees Business