An Eco School in Neath has become one of the latest beneficiaries of the Recipro Wales project. Alderman Davies CIW Primary School students asked their School Council to brighten up the school environment. In order to start a new gardening programme the children needed planters.
Teresa Seymour, a Teaching Assistant co-ordinates the School Council and works with an enthusiastic group of children. She heard about Recipro Wales through a local network and using the website, she sourced a number of ceramic items which had been donated by a large construction company.
Teresa told us “Recipro Wales has helped the children to achieve their goal in a very short time. Without the service we would have needed to raise funds and wait for supplies – but this option has meant we could commission our sowing and growing space at the start of term”.
She continues “Using materials that may have otherwise been disposed of at landfill allows me to introduce the concept of environmental responsibilities while the children are enjoying a practical task”.
The fact that the ceramic items she sourced are lavatories has not bothered the children one bit – infact – they are overjoyed that deep rooted daffodil bulbs have plenty of room to grow in a naturally long cylinder!
Recipro Wales is a collaboration between Constructing Excellence in Wales, Swansea Care and Repair and Recipro-UK. The project enables the construction industry to donate small quantities of unused, surplus construction materials to community groups, schools and social enterprises to access at heavily discounted rates for use in projects – giving useful materials a second chance and avoiding costly disposal.
Construction waste is diverted from landfill and local projects can be accelerated by using good quality materials that don’t cost the earth. The Centre in Swansea is stocked with paint and decorating supplies, building materials and storage and plumbing supplies – all good quality and reusable materials donated by local construction companies.
All not-for-profit organisations are eligible to use the service – the website has the latest available stock and groups can also set up a wish list to source the exact materials needed for their project.
