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ECORRN and the Community
Currently in Essex there are over 29 community organisations who derive all or part of their income and activity from diverting waste for re-use and/or recycling. There are:
- Over 13 active furniture re-use/redistribution projects
- Others provide either employment/training linked to waste diversion e.g. several computer re-use social enterprises, bicycle projects etc.
There are also over 200 individual charity shops, run by over 40 different charities.
Individually, and overall, these organisations deliver huge social (as well as environmental) benefits to the region. These include:
- Training and employment for people who find it difficult getting mainstream jobs.
- Redistributing furniture and goods to people in need.
- Raising funds for wider charitable purposes.
Without ECORRN these organisations would be operating often in isolation, without working together enough, without developmental support, without sufficient links to support agencies, and without benefiting from full knowledge of funding combinations available to projects with both social and environmental objectives.
What exactly do Community Organisations do?
The organisations listed in the directory are community-based, co-operative organisations that work to provide community support by means of donated funds, donated items, training for disadvantaged people in society or other charitable objectives.
The community sector in Essex offers many services to the general public including:
- Repairing and sending tools and bicycles to third world countries
- Repairing and selling second hand furniture and electrical equipment including computers, washing machines, TV's, tables, chairs, cabinets etc at a very cheap price to those in the local community and in some cases free donations to those on benefits/ in difficult situations.
- Selling textiles / footwear, books, toys, CD's etc in local charity shops and at jumble and car boot sales to raise money for various causes.
- Re-using leftover pots of paint
- Redistributing arts and craft materials to schools, youth groups etc
- Many of these organisations also provide training to those that are disadvantaged and would usually find it difficult to reach employment.
Or any other item you believe could be re-used?
Do you need any of the above items?
Have a look on our directory to find out if there is a local organisation that would appreciate either a donation or a purchase or they may be able to help you if you are unable to afford the items.
The Overall aims of ECORRN are to:
- Expand the capacity of the community sector, working with councils, community sector networks etc to build partnerships and avoid overlaps in service provision.
- Assist more groups win external funding; including the Seedcorn money the network has risen and secure long term viability.
- Provide easy access to information using various media
- Deliver awareness work to increase public support for re-use, and buying second hand.
- Increase the tonnage of household waste diverted by the community sector and charity shops, in partnership with councils.
ECORRN offers the following to the community sector:
- Staff time
- Funding/fund-raising help
- Group meetings
- Training opportunities
- Trips and events
- Useful information / contacts
- A network of local groups
- Opportunities for ideas exchange
Example of Progress - ECORRN's Achievements
- Developing ECORRN through regular Management Committee meetings, and wider meetings
- Holding of events including on WEEE in March, regular events on developing re-use and business plans, and on funding bids
- Development of the 2005/6 'Essex Re-use Partnership', with local re-use groups, Essex County Council and other Essex councils
- Government agreeing in principle to adopt re-use credits and a re-use performance indicator
- Survey and directory work on groups and recent bulky waste surveys to all 12 Essex councils
- Business plan work, assisting projects
- New partnerships - like Mill Race IT and RDC
Networking, and expanded support is a key requirement to maximise organisations contribution to the waste dilemma.
We now want to see infrastructure also develop regionally, including to ensure groups in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and in unitary councils like Luton and Thurrock get at least as much support in the future, and are recognised in wider local and regional agendas including by East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Go East etc.
Through regional training and events, organisations and their people, will develop not just the environmental benefits of re-use but also the economic and social benefits (known together as the triple bottom line), including raising vital funds for a range of new sustainable activity (including delivery of local services), volunteering opportunities, training, job creation and support for people on low incomes, overall offering people a better quality of life.
The Network already has over 140 members but is keen to see more members join. Membership is currently free. If you wish to join please complete one of the Membership forms.
Links to National Sustainable Consumption/Waste Agendas
The Strategy Unit report 'Waste Not, Want Not' (2002) identifies sustainable consumption and production as a priority, as does the Government in its follow-up initiatives.
The recent 2004 consultations on a re-use performance indicator and on household waste re-use being rewarded with 're-use credits' reflects specific Government intentions to actively support re-use from next year, as part of the wider waste reduction and recycling agenda.
When these changes are implemented, diversion of and effective quantifying of reusable household material by charity shops/furniture projects will assist councils in reaching their demanding recycling targets, and further future targets yet to be specified.
The Landfill Directive also sets targets for local authorities to divert biodegradable waste away from landfill and the Landfill Trading Allowance Scheme (LATS) it has highlighted the contribution re-use can play in delivery, that both textiles and furniture have an estimated 50% biodegradable fraction.
National promotion of re-use, and joint working by charity shops, furniture projects and councils will assist delivery on all of the above agenda (including lessons learnt from comparable major re-use behaviour change campaigns overseas), and contribute also to delivery on the WEEE Directive.