17 November 2023
As part of our commitment to supporting the communities where we work, one of our colleagues Shaun Eldridge recently spent a day at the Lighthouse Furniture Project (LFP) workshop in Chelmsford.
LFP are Plan B’s chosen Charity partner to work with on our Essex County Council HWRC Materials Recycling and Treatment contract. LFP is a charity that takes pre-loved items, and renovates them to be reused by those in the area who need some support when setting up home. They provide furniture, beds, electrical items etc at a reduced cost via the emergency living fund.
Shaun’s job on the day was to muck in and help Steve, one of the cleaners to prepare Large Domestic Appliances for purchase and collection by clients. This included washing, cleaning and repairing shelves or pipes in the appliances. We asked Shaun about his day he said “It was dirty work but very rewarding, I managed four units in a day not bad for a beginner apparently! A unit arrive from Brentwood Recycling Centre and I saw it go through the whole process as it was prepared for sale and collection”.
Below is Steve with the great team who use their skills and commitment to help those that need it. Shaun helped clean and prepare fridges, freezers, and a tumble dryer. These items were being readied for sale at the LFP store, where they would be offered at discounted prices to those in need. He also helped unload 3 trucks with donated white goods.
The day was spent with the team – Bernard, Steve, Mark, and manager Darren. They are responsible for testing, repairing, and cleaning of items before they’re ready for resale and reuse.
Thanks to the collective effort, they’ve managed to get 6 RCHW sites that are now fully operational. This is where residents who have upgraded or replaced their white goods, can donate items, which then are donated to the LFP team for collection, ensuring they find new homes.
Since the last visit, 513 items have been collected from these sites – fantastic work!