Project UP, works with young people to upcycle furniture which is then given to families in need within Cheshire. They had the furniture, labour, passion and know how but were lacking one key ingredient. Through the provision of paint Community RePaint Wirral has supported them in meeting their aims.
Project UP is a furniture upcycling project run by Groundwork Cheshire. The project takes unwanted furniture destined for landfill, strips it back to its original state and then refinishes it with a modern twist. All of the upcycling work is carried out by a team of young volunteers including students from Wirral Met College and young unemployed people. Once an item is complete it is given to local families in need, free of charge.
In order to complete the work Project UP were in need of paint, so Community RePaint provided the perfect solution to meet their needs. Project UP has solely used paint provided by Community Repaint Wirral, run by Recipro City, and have found the variety of colours available has meant that they haven’t had to limit their designs, as can be seen from the pictures.
The project was initially funded by Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) and Veolia Environmental Services Community Fund. MRWA chief executive, Carl Beer said: “Project UP is a great example of how a relatively small amount of money – and a creative approach – can make a big difference to the lives of people in Merseyside communities.”
Project UP Manager, Jon Hutchinson said: “We are using furniture upcycling as a vehicle to create positive social change. The project teaches young people new skills, provides furniture to those in most need and reduces waste going to landfill. The transformation of the furniture is absolutely stunning and we are creating truly bespoke items that will look great in people’s homes. The work carried out by the team of young people is amazing and the results speak for themselves”.
“As a charitable project we are working on a tight budget and the cost of paint could have restricted us, but the affordable prices on offer meant this wasn’t the case. We first heard about the Community Repaint scheme through word of mouth and have been going back to Recipro City to get our paint ever since.’’
You can follow the progress of Project UP on Facebook and Twitter.
