Archives: News & Views

A charity in Bootle has made it their mission to stop textiles from being thrown away – and has received a financial funding boost to help them in their efforts.

The Repurpose Project: Breathing New Life into Old Textiles is the creation of The Venus Charity, a Bootle-based community group who help to empower, promote and support women, young women and their children. The resource-rescuing project has been awarded £3500 from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund, which helps local groups to reduce waste and increase recycling and reuse.

Venus have run a pop-up shop in the Bootle Strand shopping centre to deliver upcycling textiles workshops within the shop space. More follow-on sessions have been delivered from The Venus Centre in Bootle.

Sue Potts, Chief Executive of Venus, said: “The Repurpose Project is aiming to prevent waste and increase the amount of materials available for reuse and recycling by upcycling old textiles. We’re hoping to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable practices, and to provide a creative and accessible way for members of our community to engage with these practices. By using these materials we can prevent them from going to waste and instead give them a new lease of life.”

Venus have been working with partner organisations to source materials which can then be creatively repurposed. The workshops – led by artist Emma Summerscales – are providing an anticipated 50 participants with the skills and knowledge they need to upcycle textiles, whilst preventing up to one tonne of materials from going to waste.

Venus have also developed an educational booklet that is being distributed to participants during the sessions, providing them with step-by-step instructions on how to upcycle and repair their textiles. Short educational presentations are being shown at each session which covers topics such as the environmental impact of textile waste, the benefits of upcycling, and the basics of textile repair. These presentations are interactive and designed to engage participants and encourage them to ask questions and share their own experiences.

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said: “According to research* around 5% of household bins locally contain textiles such as clothes and shoes, a lot of which could still be used. The Repurpose Project can help stop those items from being thrown away, can stop resources from going to waste, whilst also engaging with the local community and spread the message about sustainability in a practical way.”

Sue Potts continued: “We believe that by directly engaging with residents we can build a stronger relationship and foster a sense of community ownership and involvement in our project. This will not only benefit the success of our project and the environment, but also have a positive impact on the local community as a whole.”

A project celebration event was recently held at the Venus Centre (Thursday 30th November, 2023) which brought together organisers, participants and partners.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

– *Statistic from Merseyside and Halton Waste Composition Analysis 2021/22. https://www.zerowastelcr.com/liverpool-city-region-waste-composition-analysis-2021/

– The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 2023/24 has seen 13 community groups from Merseyside and Halton receive a funding boost to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions. Funding total is £164,945.00

A MRWA staff member discussing the Choose to Reuse campaign at Gillmoss Recycling Discovery Centre — A MRWA staff member discussing the Choose to Reuse campaign at during a Sustainable Christmas Market at Veolia’s Recycling Discovery Centre in Gillmoss.

Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority has launched a Christmas campaign advising residents to ‘choose to reuse’, in a bid to tackle climate change.

Along with reuse tips, the campaign – which is being driven through the Authority’s Zero Waste LCR branch – offers other sustainable guidelines, which can help people to save money while protecting the environment.

According to national data from the Environment Agency, around 30% more waste is generated at Christmas time.

Further astonishing figures state that an estimated 50,000 trees are cut down to create enough paper to wrap presents, while over 1 billion Christmas cards are thrown away per year.

The above stats form part of a wider waste problem that negatively impacts climate change during the festive season.

Although larger generation of waste during Christmas time is a widespread issue, Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority is keen to buck the trend.

Reaction

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said:

“The aim of our ‘Choose to Reuse’ campaign is simple; to help residents reduce waste, save money and protect the planet for future generations… All in a way which doesn’t compromise the joys of Christmas.

“We’ve created a dedicated blog series which offers sustainable advice on everything from Christmas trees and decorations to cards, wrapping paper and gifts.

“Even if residents try one or two of the tips on offer, every little step towards reducing waste is a big stride towards protecting the environment.”

Cllr Catie Page, Chair of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said:

“Often, planning goes out the window and leaves us in a rush to choose the quick and convenient option when Christmas shopping… Then, before we know it, it’s all over!

“While the primary aim is to make Liverpool City Region more sustainable, the ‘Choose to Reuse’ campaign also gives people a chance to think again.

“We want to provide plenty of inspiration for residents and their loved ones to embrace creativity and build precious festive memories together in the process.”

More information is available at https://www.zerowastelcr.com/blog/choose-to-reuse-this-christmas/.

-ENDS-

NOTES TO EDITORS

Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and also Halton. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents and operates (via a contract with resource management company Veolia) 16 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC’s) for householders in the Merseyside and Halton area wishing to recycle and dispose of their own waste. For more information, please visit https://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/.

Zero Waste Liverpool City Region is brought to you by Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA). The main aim of Zero Waste LCR is to work towards both MRWA’s own Corporate Plan and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s commitment to Net Zero by 2040. Waste and resources play an important part in reaching this target, in combating the effects of climate change, and we also believe that we must adopt a zero waste circular economy to ensure that resources are used for longer and carbon emissions are prevented. Premature disposal of resources means that the full extent of their value is not maximised for the local economy. For more information, please visit https://www.zerowastelcr.com/.

The featured photographs were taken at Veolia’s Sustainable Christmas Market, which took place at the Recycling Discovery Centre in Gillmoss on Saturday 25 November. Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) attended the event to launch the Zero Waste LCR ‘Choose to Reuse’ campaign. More images are available to download via Google Drive. Image credits: David Jones Photography.

#ChooseToReuse campaign assets and suggested messaging are available to download here.

Media Enquiries

Members of the media, for more information please contact:

Adam de Spretter Yates | Communications and Development Officer |

1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP | 07976730362 | adam.despretteryates@merseysidewda.gov.uk

Disclaimer: Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority

An environmental project in the Baltic Triangle area of Liverpool has been helping to rescue and reuse unwanted clothes and textiles.

The Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C. used funding from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund to run the Baltic Swap Shop project, with the aim of stopping clothes and textiles from going to waste.

The community-based initiative has been delivered by the C.I.C. to reduce waste, increase the availability of materials for reuse and recycling, and promote a sustainable and ethical approach to fashion consumption.

According to a recent analysis* around 5% of household bins locally contained textiles such as clothes and shoes, a lot of which could still be used. The same report showed that plastic items made up 11.9% of Merseyside and Halton’s kerbside residual (i.e. black bin bag) waste.

Alex Keyter, Project Lead at the Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C., said: “Textiles is one of the largest contributors to global waste and pollution, producing 92 million tonnes of waste each year and accounting for 10% of global carbon emissions. Fast fashion exacerbates this problem by promoting a culture of disposable clothing. We’re hoping we’ve helped address this issue by hosting Swap Shop Clothing Exchange events and engaging the diverse community of Liverpool in a fun, inclusive, and accessible way.

“The primary focus of the project has been to encourage people to consume less, reduce their environmental impact, and reuse materials that would otherwise be discarded. We hope we’ve helped to foster that sense of community and camaraderie in the Baltic Triangle area.”

The project has set out to collaborate with local businesses, schools and community organisations to raise awareness and encourage participation in the Swap Shop events. Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C. hope these networks and resources will help raise awareness of the issues in waste within the community.

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said: “Our Community Fund projects are always full of inspirational ideas. Local organisations such as Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C. can deliver zero waste and sustainability messages and ideas in a way that people can relate to in their own lives, which is a huge benefit to the local environment.”

Alex Keyter continued: “By promoting a more sustainable approach to fashion consumption we hope this project has helped contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the Baltic Triangle area and encourages the community to adopt environmentally and sustainable responsible practices.

“Aside from the waste prevention element, the project has provided a platform for volunteers to gain valuable skills in event management and social media marketing. These skills can enhance their employability, contributing to the local economy by preparing them for future career opportunities.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:
– Pictures attached show Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C. clothes Swap Shop, 7th October 2023, Liverpool

– *Statistic from Merseyside and Halton Waste Composition Analysis 2021/22

– Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and also Halton. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents and operates (via a contract with resource management company Veolia) 16 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC’s) for householders in the Merseyside and Halton area wishing to recycle and dispose of their own waste.

Members of the media for more information please contact:

John Lally | Communications and Development Officer
Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority | 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP
Office: 0151 255 2568 | Email: john.lally@merseysidewda.gov.uk

Eligible participants for the questionnaire will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 of vouchers for a leading UK supermarket.

Zero Waste LCR (on behalf of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority) has today launched a questionnaire to get a basic gauge of the current behaviours and opinions around food and food waste.

A Waste Composition Analysis which was carried out across all six districts of Liverpool City Region (Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral) back in 2021, identified that 26.3% of residual waste bins contained food waste that could have been composted. The decomposition of organic waste in the form of methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide at contributing to climate change.

As such, the Food Waste Attitudes and Behaviours Questionnaire has been devised with a view to shaping future behavioural change initiatives, which will act as a pivotal component in the fight against food waste and climate change.

The questionnaire and subsequent £100 supermarket voucher prize draw is open to residents of Liverpool City Region, who are aged 18 years or over, and are wholly or partially responsible for their household’s food shop.

Eligible participants can find out more and take the 10-minute questionnaire here.

Terms & Conditions

The promoter is: Merseyside Waste and Recycling Authority [MRWA is the public facing name for Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority, which is a statutory Joint Waste Disposal Authority under the Local Government Act 1985]; Whose registered office is at 7^th Floor, No. 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 1BP.
This giveaway is open to residents of Liverpool City Region, aged 18 years or over except employees of MRWA, and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.
There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

Route to entry for the competition can be found at Twitter.com/ZeroWasteLCR.
Closing date for entry will be November 1^st 2023, After this date the no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
The rules of the competition and how to enter are as follows:

Rules and How to Enter:

To enter: Just complete our LCR 2023 Food Waste Behaviours Questionnaire (which can be found here: Food Waste Attitudes and Behaviours within the LCR 2023 (google.com).
The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of any unforeseen circumstances arriving, including actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
The prize is as follows: £100 voucher for a leading UK supermarket, such as but not limited too ASDA, Sainsburys or Morrisons. Prize vouchers will be subject to the terms and conditions of the chosen supermarket, once transferred to the winner the promoter holds no responsibility for the vouchers use or limitations.
The prize is as stated, and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
Winners will be chosen at random by software, from all entries received and verified by Promoter and or its agents
The winner will be notified by phoneor an emailwithin 14 days of the closing date. If the winners cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 72 hours of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prize can be delivered or collected.
The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, as well as their entry. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and not to any other party. The information provided will be used in conjunction with the following Privacy Policy found at http://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MWDA-CORPORATE-PRIVACY-NOTICE-2018-FINAL-1.pdf.

Also, please note:

MRWA’s decision as to those able to take part and selection of winners is final. No correspondence relating to the competition will be entered into.
MRWA shall have the right, at its sole discretion and at any time, to change or modify these terms and conditions, such change shall be effective immediately upon posting to this webpage.
MRWA also reserves the right to cancel the competition if circumstances arise outside of its control.
The winners chosen will need to supply their home address for delivery of the prize voucher. Again, all data will be handled solely by MRWA and in accordance with current GDPR.

Thirteen community groups have been awarded a share of £165,000 to help the Liverpool City Region reduce, reuse and recycle more.

The money has come from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) and Veolia Community Fund 2023/24 which helps to support local waste prevention, reuse and recycling initiatives.

Earlier this year the organisations had to bid for the funding which will give them the financial resources to deliver waste-reducing behavioural change projects across the region.

Programmes include a tool lending library, cookery lessons to reduce food waste, clothes repair clubs, upcycling and restoration of unwanted furniture, food growing and community composting, amongst other things.

Project applications had to tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely Food, Electricals, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis* of waste in the Liverpool City Region highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be reused or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, plastic, card and metals.

Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, Lesley Worswick, said: “Our Community Fund – which has been running annually since 2006 – gives groups the opportunity to look after the environment, bringing benefits to all of us. I think in this day and age people appreciate items as valuable resources rather than something which might be just thrown away.

“We’re always impressed with the ideas that come in and the creativity of the region’s grassroots organisations – this year we received 59 applications. Lots of the projects we have previously funded continue to deliver benefits beyond the first year, through their legacy and have an ongoing impact on participants’ behaviour, in many cases through new or continuing activities.

“I wish all our projects the best and look forward to seeing the impact they have.”

One project to previously clinch funding is Wargrave House LEAP College (now Ascent College) in St Helens, which in 2022 received £8000, and specialises in providing an autism learning environment for 19-to-25-year-olds.

The project saw the students set up a café and shop at the Lyme and Wood Learning Hub on Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows which, as well as being a place for local people to enjoy, is a space for students to learn and develop new skills. They have once again been successful in applying for Community Fund, receiving £8000 for their new Preloved Project.

Teacher and project lead at Ascent College Lauren Molyneux said: “The previous project was all about promoting more sustainable ways of living and for students to learn vocational skills in sectors like woodwork, horticulture, retail and hospitality. We used the funding to deliver a series of tailored and practical workshops and tutorials, which helped establish industry specific skills that have helped support our young adults as they transition from further education to vocational pathways, apprenticeships, employment, or higher education.

“We’re excited to receive funding once again and can’t wait to get started on our new eco project. We want to make it accessible for people to make sustainable lifestyle changes as well as building a community hub for people to access free or affordable activities for themselves and their families. The project will also enable our students to build vital preparation for adulthood skills.”

The successful organisations have got until March 2024 to deliver their projects.

ENDS

The successful projects:

Organisation

Project

Details

Ascent College (part of the Remarkable Group)

The Preloved Project

A food, furniture and textiles project, giving college students the opportunity for workshops and work experience in hospitality, retail, woodwork and horticulture.

Baltic Triangle Area C.I.C.

Baltic Swap Shop

A clothes reuse and recycling initiative promoting a sustainable and ethical approach to fashion consumption, hosting several swap shop clothes exchange events and collaborate with local businesses, schools and community organisations.

Bee Wirral C.I.C

Refresh pre loved furniture project

This project will take unwanted furniture left in empty Housing Association properties for reuse. There will also be volunteer training in furniture repair, restoration, and upcycling.

British Dietetic Association

Waste Warriors

A food skills project which will look to engage with over 3000 people, focussing on cookery, food-growing and composting.

Fierce Futures C.I.C.

Style Swap Social

A sustainable fashion initiative promoting second-hand style, saving money, and reducing waste, reaching over 600 people.

Global Feedback LTD

The Alchemic Kitchen

A food/cookery skills project delivering events and workshops to help people reduce food waste.

Kindfulness Coffee Club

Baby Kind

Baby Kind will aim to reuse nursery equipment (e.g. prams, cots) by donating to low income families, as well as holding a weekly Knit and Knatter group.

Liverpool Tool Library C.I.C.

Volunteer Co-ordination

This tool reuse/lending library will clean, de-rust, maintain and fix tools inhouse for a lending inventory, as well as run several textiles and furniture upcycling/repair workshops.

Liverpool World Centre

Re-think: the waste revolution

This project will tie in with schools and other education providers to look at waste in the food, electricals and textiles industries.

Squash C.I.C.

Waste not…food for thought

Will encourage integrated working and peer learning to help reduce food waste. 40 family cooking sessions will teach all about recycling and reuse, swap sessions, composting and clothes repair.

St Mary’s Church

St Mary’s Eco Garden

A food growing and cooking project at St Mary’s Eco Community Garden in Wirral, hosting weekly cookery sessions, recycling craft clubs and growing/composting classes.

Valley Community Theatre

Valley Vegheads

A food growing/cookery skills project which will also look to create a community kitchen garden, run gardening activities and six community swap shops.

Venus

The Repurpose Project: Breathing New Life into Old Textiles and Furniture

Furniture and textiles project which will host several upcycling workshops, a local pop-up shop, and work with local charities to reduce waste.

*Statistic from Merseyside and Halton Waste Composition Analysis 2021/22
Picture captions:

MRWA_LEAP_2022A – (l to r) Ascent College student Owen, Ascent Teaching Support Assistant Anne, Ascent Teacher and Project Lead Lauren Molyneux, at the opening of the Lyme & Wood Café and Shop, November 2022

MRWA_LEAP_2022C – visitors at the opening of the Lyme & Wood Café and Shop, November 2022

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.
MRWA operates (via a contract with resource management company Veolia) 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC’s) for householders in the Merseyside area wishing to recycle and dispose of their own waste.
The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 2023/24 has seen 13 community groups from Merseyside and Halton receive a funding boost to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions. Funding total is £164,945.00

Eight community projects in the Liverpool City Region are helping people to cut food waste, eat healthier and save money after a funding boost. The projects have been given a share of £110,000 through the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority Community Fund 2022/23, which supports community reuse, recycling and waste prevention initiatives across the region. This week (6th to 12th March) marks Food Waste Action Week 2023, the UK’s biggest annual food waste reduction campaign, organised by the Love Food Hate Waste programme. The eight local projects are using the week to highlight how much food could be stopped from going to waste by shopping smarter, meal planning and improving cookery skills and use of ingredients. The organisations are delivering a variety of initiatives across Merseyside such as cookery classes, compost sessions and grow-your-own workshops to help reduce household food waste. One of the groups to receive funding is Liverpool-based Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC.

Michelle O’Dwyer of Bay Tree, said: “Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC has been running projects that work with vulnerable groups to teach food preparation, cooking and budgeting and food handling and storage skills over several years. Our latest project is targeting groups who benefit from learning skills that help reduce food waste, such as those living on fixed incomes and low incomes, people with disabilities, mental health challenges, unemployed people and veterans. “The unique aspect of this project is that we’re teaching skills to minimise food waste rather than just cookery skills. We’re focussed on shopping on a budget, food handing and hygiene, using leftovers, and evaluating portion sizes. It’s a serious matter, but we’re making sure everyone is having fun while they learn!”

The eight projects are:

Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC – Cook And Save (see pictures above).
British Dietetic Association – Waste Warriors.
Centre 63 – Remake Yourself Hub.
Compost Works – Share Food And Compost The Rest.
Farm Urban – Future Food Heroes 2.0.
Knowsley Foodbank – Chloe Cooks.
Porchfield Community Association
Wargrave House College – Not Too Shabby

An estimated 106,064 tonnes* of avoidable household food is wasted in the Liverpool City Region each year. A lot of this could still be used and would save the average family £720** a year in groceries. It is this behaviour the projects are looking to change.

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said: “We are delighted to support all of these projects. The facts show that on average we throw away over one hundred thousand tonnes of avoidable food every year on Merseyside – almost a third of the average general household waste bin. That includes millions of loaves of bread, whole chickens, litres of milk.

“Food waste is a big issue with significant environmental effects. Projects like these can get people to recognise that the food they buy exists within a circular economy – from farm to fork – while having a real impact in reducing household food waste and saving households money on grocery bills.”

The organisations have until the end of March 2023 to deliver their projects.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The attached images show Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC, 2023.

*MRWA LCR Waste Composition Analysis 2021/22

** https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/take-action/save-money-good-food-habits

The MRWA Community Fund food-saving projects:

Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC – Cook And Save will try to cut food waste with 18×2-day cookery/training courses.

British Dietetic Association – Waste Warriors. The BDA has recruited 15 people from ten community cooking clubs to deliver 75 food waste cookery classes.

Centre 63 – Remake Yourself Hub. The Kirkby-based project is hosting food waste sessions.

Compost Works – Share Food And Compost The Rest is delivering 12 training sessions and 40 weekly support sessions for composting.

Farm Urban – Future Food Heroes 2.0. The next stage of the Future Food Heroes project is delivering seven community events and 72 training sessions with six primary schools, as well as six celebration events and a regional finale at Farm Urban.

Knowsley Foodbank – Chloe Cooks. Knowsley Foodbank is holding 40 food/cookery training sessions to five groups over eight weeks.

Porchfield Community Association – Porchfield Community Association is a clothes and food waste project which is offering 3×5-week cookery courses.

Wargrave House College – Not Too Shabby @ The Lyme@ Wood Learning Hub. This multi-material project is hosting workshops on food as well as furniture, textiles, wood and metals.

A share of £165,000 is up for grabs to help community groups make the Liverpool City Region a cleaner and greener place.

The funding – made available via the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2023/24 – is for community and voluntary groups, schools and not-for-profit organisations, who can reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource reuse and prevent carbon emissions.

There is up to £30,000 for projects which cover a minimum of three City Region districts, and between £1000 and £8,000 available for projects which work solely at one local authority level.

Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA), Councillor Tony Concepcion, said: “Giving groups the opportunity to get involved in looking after their environment brings benefits to all and can help us appreciate items as valuable resources rather than something which otherwise might be just thrown away.

“We’ve seen that previous projects have continued to deliver benefits beyond the first year, through their legacy and ongoing impact on behavioural change, and in many cases through new or continuing activities.”

Bids must tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment), Food, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis* of waste in the region highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be re-used or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, plastic or metals.

Previous Community Fund projects have included local recycling guidebooks, cookery clubs to support healthy eating and reduce food waste, fruit and veg gleaning, restoring old furniture to sell for charity and refurbishing unwanted rugs for resale. In January one project held a climate change conference with secondary schoolchildren from across Liverpool City Region to help highlight wasted clothes and textiles.

Another organisation to have previously received funding was the British Dietetic Association, who have been running the Waste Warriors food waste reduction and cookery skills programme, thanks to £20,000 from the MRWA Community Fund.

Suzanne Mitchell, Let’s Get Cooking lead, said: “The opportunity to support a local community with our funding was a really powerful idea. We hope we’ve inspired households to think about new ways to save money by reducing the amount of food they throw away and growing their own produce using a community garden.”

Interested groups can apply via the MRWA website www.merseysidewda.gov.uk.

The deadline for submissions is 11.59pm on Sunday 26th March 2023. If groups aren’t sure whether their project is appropriate for consideration then they can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via email to MRWA before 5^th March.

Successful projects should receive the funding by mid May 2023 and will have to deliver their schemes by March 2024.

Organisations interested in this year’s Community Fund can:

Apply online at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk.
Contact the Authority: Community.fund@merseysidewda.gov.uk

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS: Sunday 26^th March 2023, 11.59pm

ENDS

Reciprocity Wirral, a Merseyside-based pioneer in paint waste, have diverted over 680,000 litres of paint from being wasted and redistributed it into community organisations and families across the region and beyond.

By partnering with Veolia and Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, Recipro have collected hundreds of thousands of litres of householder’s unwanted paint, which is then taken to their Wirral site and processed for reuse.

Some of the paint is checked and sold as ‘rescued paint’ for the local community at prices from as little as £1.20 a litre. They have hundreds of customers who have decorated their whole properties for just a few pounds!

The majority of the paint collected is remanufactured. This innovative process, developed with Dulux and New Life Paints takes unwanted paint, filters and treats it before it is repackaged. The end product is a recycled, great quality and affordable paint!

Available nationwide via delivery or through stockists, the paint has gone from strength to strength, with over 350,000 litres being sold since its launch in 2017.

ReColour is used by householders, charities, schools and community organisations, such as Aigburth Counselling and Psychotherapy, who used ReColour to refresh their centre:

“It’s been an absolute pleasure dealing with Recipro. Everything from ordering to the delivery was done in such a helpful and friendly manner and to know that we are helping to reduce waste is fantastic!”

The paint is available in emulsion, masonry and chalky furniture paints, in a range of fashionable and traditional colours, with plans to expand the range to new products in 2023.

By recycling or reusing paint, not only is this huge amount of waste being kept from the waste stream, but also the energy and water used in the manufacture of new paint is being reduced.

Beckie Close, Director at Recipro, said: “When we launched Community RePaint Wirral in 2013, we had no idea it would grow to this scale! Our business is focussed on reducing waste, while benefiting our local, and wider community, and we couldn’t do it without the support of Veolia and MRWA. We are so excited to see how we continue to grow, add new products and expand our team!”

Jeff Sears, Director at Veolia in Merseyside and Halton said: “We’re delighted to be working with Recipro and very proud to divert paint for remanufacture and reuse. This is a great example of an innovative solution to help cut climate-changing carbon emissions.

“If you have leftover tins of paint taking up space in your shed or cupboard, bring them to one of our Recycling Centres with a drop off point so the paint can be given a new lease of life. ”

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said: “It’s great to see this scheme doing so well. Often what people think of as ‘waste’ is actually a resource which someone, somewhere will be able to use. This is a perfect example of reuse in action.”

Residents can drop off their unwanted paint at the following locations:

Bidston Household Waste Recycling Centre, Wallasey Bridge Rd, CH41 1EB
Huyton Household Waste Recycling Centre, Wilson Rd, L36 6AD
Johnsons Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre, Widnes, Widnes WA8 0SJ
Old Swan Household Waste Recycling Centre, Cheadle Ave, L13 3AF
Ravenhead Household Waste Recycling Centre, WA9 5EA
Sefton Meadows Household Waste Recycling Centre, Sefton Ln, L31 8BT

ReciproCity Wirral is open to the public and organisations, Monday to Friday 8.30-5 and Saturdays 10-4.

-ENDS-

Photo: Jeff Sears (Veolia) and Beckie Close (Recipro) at Huyton Household Waste Recycling Centre.

ReciproCity Wirral are members of the national Community RePaint scheme, set up Dulux in 1993.

ReciproCity Wirral is a social enterprise that works with the construction and DIY sector to reduce waste through diversion of surplus materials from the waste stream. As well as paint they accept donations of surplus DIY and building materials from the trade and supply chain.

Press contact: Rebecca Close, Director

07894586550 | rebecca@recipro-uk.com

Schools from across the Liverpool City Region have come together in an effort to tackle climate change – by reducing the amount of clothes that people throw away.

The Great Clothes Swap is the creation of Toxteth-based Liverpool World Centre and environmental charity Faiths4Change, who have been awarded £16,900 by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority & Veolia Community Fund 2022/23 to help deliver the project.

According to a recent analysis*, around 5% of household bins locally contained textiles such as clothes and shoes, a lot of which could still be used. It is this behaviour the project is hoping to change and itself will look to stop up to ten tonnes of clothing material from going to waste.

Jacquie Ayre, Global Learning Education Officer at Liverpool World Centre, said: “The aim of the project is to change perceptions and behaviour towards clothing repair and reuse in order to prevent clothes and textiles from going to waste. We’re building on our previous Fashion Fix project by engaging with teachers and giving children the knowledge and skills to get involved and have a say in improving industry practices. “Through events, training and workshops across the City Region we’re hopeful of changing attitudes towards clothes reuse and hopefully helping instil a systemic change in the current wasteful situation that society finds itself in when it comes to clothes and fast fashion.” The objectives of the project are to:

– engage pupils, parents and teachers to increase their knowledge, skills and understanding about the textile journey and its impact on climate change

– run four textiles-sustainability conferences for 160 pupils

– create 40 Textile Teams so pupils can promote textiles reuse in schools

– support 40 school clothes swap shop events

– work with 350 trainee teachers at two universities to help them deliver school projects on the environment and textiles as a resource.

On Thursday 26^th January, seven schools and 40 students assembled at No. 1 Mann Island in Liverpool City Centre for a UN-style climate conference to debate the impact of climate emissions and the part that the textiles industry plays in polluting the planet. Students had to come up with ideas on how to put an end to a throwaway fashion culture and to identify any barriers to school uniform reuse and recycling.

Rachel Hardy of Faiths4change said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for students at the conference to develop their critical thinking skills around the climate emergency. It provided an opportunity for them to debate in the style of a UN conference, develop empathy and learn skills around negotiation and collaboration.”

Students at the conference were able to find out more by listening and questioning a panel of local sustainability experts. These speakers were able to suggest small ways that can have a big impact on patterns of behaviour around textile waste.

Rachel Hardy continued: “This event is one way that schools can empower their young students to have a voice and feel that they can make changes in their school community to make a difference around the issue of waste. ‘’

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “This project isn’t just about waste, it’s highlighting the link between waste and the climate emergency, and how we can no longer just throw things away once we’ve finished with them, as materials will have a value and could potentially be used again.

Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: “Our research shows that there are significant quantities of textiles placed in recycling and household waste bins across kerbside collections in the Liverpool City Region. Textiles shouldn’t go into bins. Instead, Recycling Centres, charities, local bring banks all accept clothes and textiles where they will go on to be recycled or reused.”

Liverpool World Centre anticipates that around 3000 pupils, teachers and parents will be directly educated and engaged in the topic of textiles waste by the conclusion of the scheme come March 2023. All schools and universities involved will be supported to contribute towards a 10 tonnes reduction in wasted textiles, with certificates and awards at the end of the project.

ENDS

Students from a specialist learning college in St Helens have opened their own café and reuse shop to help the local community reduce, reuse and recycle more.

The Not Too Shabby project is the vision of LEAP Specialist College in Newton-le-Willows, which has received £8000 from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2022/23 to reduce household waste, increase recycling and encourage resource reuse.

LEAP (Lakeside Early Adulthood Provision) specialises in providing an autism learning environment for 19-to-25-year-olds. The environmental project has seen the students set up the café and shop at the Lyme and Wood Learning Hub on Vista Road in Newton-le-Willows which, as well as being a place for local people to enjoy, is a space for students to learn and develop news skills.

The café serves hot and cold drinks and snacks, all of which are catered by the LEAP students. Amongst a host of things, the shop sells reused and repurposed clothes, books, paint, art and general bric-a-brac.

Teacher and project lead at LEAP Lauren Molyneux said: “The project is all about promoting more sustainable ways of living and for students to learn vocational skills in sectors like woodwork, horticulture, retail and hospitality.

“The shop sells pre-loved items such clothing, footwear and products handcrafted from materials, for example reclaimed timber and textiles. It is also an official stockist of ReColour paint – a chalk paint made from recycled emulsion. Our furniture rescue scheme allows customers to select a piece of furniture to be upcycled using any of the colours from the ReColour range, as well as any other tweaks they wish to be made.”

The project began in June and as well as giving LEAP students invaluable training and life skills, organisers are also hoping to prevent up to four tonnes of material from going to waste, including furniture, clothes, food and garden clippings.

Lauren Molyneux continued: “We are using the funding to deliver a series of tailored and practical face-to-face workshops and virtual tutorials. These will help establish industry specific skills that will support our young adults as they transition from further education to vocational pathways, apprenticeships, employment or higher education. We’re able to offer hands-on training in a variety of employment industries so that students within LEAP can support the project around their own interests and goals and gain valuable experience, thereby readying them for their next steps in life.”

Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, Councillor Tony Concepcion, said: “This has been a great project as it has targeted a variety of materials which we know can be used again and not wasted. The Community Fund is great at reaching people we wouldn’t normally be able to, raising awareness of waste issues, giving these students the knowledge and skills to help use Earth’s resources sustainably.”

If you would like to contact the project:

Instagram @theprelovedproject_leap
Email theprelovedproject@wargravehouse.com

ENDS