Reclaimed Southwark furniture raises £12,000 for national charity

The council and Veolia teamed up with the British Heart Foundation in January 2010 to give them access to all the unwanted furniture and electrical items in the borough that currently go to the recycling and reuse centre at Manor Place.

All the items are then given a new lease of life at the British Heart Foundation's Furniture and Electrical store on the Old Kent Road. 

When it launched it was the first time that this national charity had worked with a UK local authority in this way.  

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling at Southwark Council, said: "It's great that this scheme has proved so popular, and is doing such good work, not only for this important charity but also in terms of giving furniture and electrical items another lease of life.

"At this time of year many people may be thinking of getting rid of older items, having been given a new one, and I'd urge them to think of our recycling and refuse centre as the best place to do this."  

Simon Bussell, managing director for Veolia Environmental Services in Southwark, said: "The success of this scheme shows what can be done for the environment and for the community when businesses and organisations work together. We will continue to work alongside the council to grow this scheme even further.

"We would also be interested in talking to other community led organisations that have ideas about how we can work in partnership for the good of the borough." 

Background information

In the first year of the scheme: 

• £12,000 was raised for British Heart Foundation
• Approx 350 British Heart Foundation customers bought items originally taken to Manor Place
• Five tonnes of waste were diverted from landfill

In May 2010 the scheme was shortlisted for the prestigious National Recycling Awards. It was recognised as being an exemplar of cross sector partnership with Southwark Council working with its private sector partner Veolia to make a real difference to the local activities of the British Heart Foundation. 

All funds made from sales of the furniture and electrical items go towards helping the British Heart Foundation to fund research, patient care and life saving equipment in the fight against heart disease, which continues to be the nation's biggest killer.