Daisy Hill Reusing and Recycling project to launch

Community and Heritage CIC runs Keep Daisy Hill Smiling and Walking, which encourages residents to keep fit and healthy, is to launch Keep Daisy Hill Reusing and Recycling with funding from the Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) Community Fund.

Twenty two community groups focused on creative solutions for recycling, repairing or reusing household waste across the region have been awarded money from the fund.

Karen May, one of the operational directors at Community and Heritage CIC, said: "It is going to be a 12 month project, we will be launching it next month, it will be called the Keep Daisy Hill Reusing and Recycling community project. 

A previous event run by Communities and Heritage CIC in Daisy Hill (Image: Public)

"We have already got 200 families from Daisy Hill and Westhoughton from our previous project.

"We asked them what are the four things they don't like throwing away. The main things were clothes, specifically children's clothes, food, toys and non-recyclable plastics.

"We have designed the project in line with those priorities."

A collage created by children in Daisy Hill which was used in the pitch to GMCA (Image: Public)

Karen continued: "We are going to be doing toy swaps over the life of the project, families and children will come and swap toys.

"It's a simple idea, but with the cost of living it helps - we will be doing it coming up to Christmas.

"With clothes, we are going to be running four recycling and upcycling classes. They are going to be based on the make and mend ethos.

"They can bring them to our face to face workshops, which will be practically based. A local fashion and textile designer will teach essential skills for upcycling."

All of the classes will be provided free of charge.

Children at a previous event (Image: Public)

Karen continued: "The current cost of living crisis, food has gone up but people are still saying they are throwing food away.

"We are going to have a reducing food waste campaign. We are going to be basing it on one Tesco and Hellmann's did last year.

"Families can reserve one day a week where they put together using any leftover food in the cupboard and fridge. If they buy into that one use-up day they could be saving £400 a year.

"It's getting the community together and enjoying these creative activities, but at the same time reducing household waste."

Community and Heritage CIC will also be holding plastic and papercraft workshops, which will show families how to upcycle those materials to be used around the house.

The annual fund of £220,000 comes from the sale of preloved household items in a joint initiative by R4GM and waste contractor SUEZ, which runs recycling centres in Bolton.

The items are collected at the recycling centres across Greater Manchester, before being cleaned and repaired for resale in three Renew Shops located at centres in Oldham, Trafford and Salford, as well as through an eBay store.

Items donated are prevented from going to waste and given a new lease of life at affordable prices, with all of the money raised going back to good causes through the annual fund.

An additional donation is also made to the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, supporting efforts to address homelessness and rough sleeping.

To learn more about Community and Heritage CIC, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Community-Heritage-CIC/100078905135439/