This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Renfrewshire recycling centre opens
12/01/2004
An innovative new recycling project in Renfrewshire will
provide a route back to work for the area's long-term
unemployed and also provide refurbished computers to
disadvantaged households and groups.
The Wise Group's "Recycle Renfrewshire" Centre, which
was officially opened today by Ross Finnie, Minister for
the Environment, will collect, refurbish and redistribute
furniture and used PC's to disadvantaged households and
communities in the Renfrewshire area.
The Centre accepts donations of old furniture and
computers, which are then refurbished by local unemployed
people who are offered a variety of training opportunities.
The project is expected to create 21 places for training
and employability support.
Mr Finnie said:
"Too often valuable resources are squandered as waste.
The Scottish Executive is committed to recycling, reusing
and reducing waste to protect our environment and create
new economic opportunities.
"This innovative project will bring many benefits to the
people of Renfrewshire. It will provide opportunities for
the area's long-term unemployed to help them gain skills
and work experience.
"It will also assist people on low incomes by providing
them with furniture free of charge and tackle digital
exclusion through the provision of recycled computer
equipment to disadvantaged communities.
"This recycling centre is a tangible example of how by
sustainably using our resources we can benefit our
communities and create job opportunities."
The "Recycle Renfrewshire" project focuses on community
need in the Renfrewshire area. The target groups for this
project are the long term unemployed and disadvantaged
groups in the Renfrewshire area. The project will collect;
refurbish and redistribute furniture and used PCs to
disadvantaged households.
The project will create 21 places for training and
employability support. The initiative trains unemployed
people to refurbish and repair computers and household
goods before distributing them free of charge to the local
community.
The project aims to achieve the following (per
annum).
• 800 collections of unwanted furniture from the local
community
• delivery of recycled furniture to 600 families in
Renfrewshire
• Collection of 400 PC's from public/private
organisations
• Delivery of 220 refurbished pc's to residents and
community groups
• 200 tonnes of material redirected from
landfill.
The Wise Group was established in 1983 as a 'not for
profit' company with Charitable status. It has particular
expertise and experience in the Intermediate Labour Market,
where people have the biggest hurdles to overcome. It aims
to move people from long-term unemployment and incapacity
benefit into sustainable employment.