Categories: News

We are proud to release the Paint by Numbers 2018 statistics for the Commmunity RePaint Network.

 

Trevour Quaintance from UPP in Plymouth travelled the two-hour journey to donate paint to Community RePaint Cornwall. Instead of the paint being wasted and adding to the 50 million litres of paint wasted every year in the UK, the scheme can now distribute this paint to their local community.

We are very grateful for the generous donation.

If you have paint that you would like to donate, find your nearest drop off point here.

A householder in Exeter incorrectly disposed of their leftover paint by putting it into their recycling bin. The resulted in a  ruined truckload of recycling which had to be incinerated. Please make sure before getting rid of your leftover paint if you a drop-off point in your area and if not, contact us to see how we can help. Alternatively, you can contact your local authority for further advice.

If you have paint that you would like to donate, find your nearest drop off point here.

Here are 25 reasons to visit your Community RePaint scheme:

1. Show the demand for reusable goods. Higher demand means more schemes!
2. You will be supporting a local organisation…
3. …who provide support to others in your community…
4. …and create jobs and training opportunities for local people…
5. …keeping money in the local economy
6. An estimated 50 million litres of paint is wasted every year in the UK. You can save this paint from going to landfill or incineration…
7. …this prevents raw materials, which are a limited resource, from going to waste…
8. …and reduces the environmental impacts of waste disposal…
9. …which means a healthier planet for everyone.
10. If the paint is reused rather than disposed of, your local authority will save money which could be spent on other amenities in your community
11. Get inspired! You might find your new favourite colour…
12. …Or colours that you didn’t even realise existed.
13. Entertain yourself with all the weird and wonderful paint names, such as Nacho Cheese, Elephants Breath and Hamster!
14. You can save money – all paint from our schemes is a maximum of £2 a litre
15. You might even pick up more paint than you bargained for, which means you can paint more rooms!
16. Find out how else the scheme can help you. Almost all schemes are a part of a wider organisation, you will find other items and support under the same roof, like furniture, creative resources, job clubs and food banks.
17. Get exploring! All our schemes are full of personality and character that you can experience first hand
18. Get involved! Our network wouldn’t exist without its fantastic volunteers who learn new skills at our schemes, do you know someone who could volunteer?
19. Get talking! Go along to meet local volunteers in your area
20. Learn something new – Schemes might be running events and workshops that will interest you
21. Unsure of what paint you need? Our helpful volunteers and guides can help you with this
22. Get creative! The part full containers at our scheme are perfect for small upcycling and craft projects…
23. …and many of our schemes upcycle furniture so they can provide guidance and advice…
24. …or you can pick up a piece of upcycled furniture which they have created.
25. Support more than the Community RePaint scheme. There are lots of opportunities to support the organisations hosting our schemes through their other projects

 

The Daily Mail featured Community RePaint in their article on eco-friendly home renovation options to save money and the environment. We were featured alongside innovative companies, such as English Salvage (known for being the UK’s best-stocked reclamation yards) co-founder Rupert Woods said:

“From an ecological perspective, you can’t beat re-using or repurposing an existing product, be it a door, wooden flooring or bricks. In many cases, you are also preventing something being sent to landfill”

Pendant lights from reclamation yard English Salvage

Other businesses featured include:

• The Used Kitchen Company.com, who stop perfectly good kitchens going to waste
• Eco-Friendly Tiles, who are the first carbon neutral tile and stone company
• The Natural Tile Company, who stock glass tiles made from 100% recycled crushed glass and raw glass waste

 

Ex-display model from the Used Kitchen Company

You can read the full Daily Mail article here.

In addition to our scheme Bristol South, we now have a scheme Bristol City, run by SOFA project to help colour the city even more. SOFA project has a fantastic reputation in Bristol for already reusing furniture, electricals and white goods, which are made available for reuse.

Check out their website, Instagram and Twitter to find out more.

 

Here they included us in some ideas to decorate your property, as well as the amazing other social enterprises listed below:

• • Secret Projects are a social enterprise that makes secret items, which fold from one use to another, e.g pillows into quilts. At the same time, the project empowers women in India through the making and selling of clothing and homeware
  • The Big Issue Shop offer a platform that allows you to use your consumer power for good
  • Greenstream Flooring have an exclusive range of reused carpet tiles that are saved from landfill
  • Studio 360 empower disadvantaged individuals by offering a creative space and they specialise in ceramics, jewellery, craft and screen printed products

If you want to read more, head over to the Dot Dot Dot blog post 

 

The majority of their paint at Community RePaint Derby comes from a local recycling centre where they collect paint which has been dropped off by local residents. If you live in Derby and have leftover paint you can find more details about passing your paint on to the scheme here. They will also consider other paint available locally from traders, retailers and manufacturers.

You can find more information on them here, but below are some great pictures from their launch.

Each month, CCORRN as part of their social and environmental objectives offer up to a maximum 240 litres of free paint to be shared between Cambridgeshire based community groups, charities or third sector organisations absolutely free of charge!
That’s right, completely free! Does the woodwork need reglossing? Do the fences need treating?

Whether you need 50 litres, or lots more you can apply for the monthly giveaway by filling in the simple application form!

The Waste Wagon, was the inspiration behind the current Community RePaint network, and begun as it was found that homeowners tend to store large volumes of leftover, reusable paint in our sheds, garages and cupboards. As part of the project, this leftover paint was collected from householders, along with other DIY materials and hazardous items. At the end of the project, the paint was given to local charities and groups, which highlighted the demand for affordable paint amongst these organisations, as well as a need amongst individuals and families on low income. You can read more about us and how the network has developed here!