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Strengthening our communities through enterprise

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Case Studies

Recycle Fife

Recycle Fife Logo

Recycle Fife is a social enterprise based in Fife, it was established in 2003 with a charitable status.

The main aims of the organisation are:

They provide work and volunteering placements in partnership with Project Scotland and also work in partnership with Triage Central Ltd as part of the New Deal Training for Work Programme. They also work with other social enterprises to provide real work placements and volunteering opportunities.

The organisation has firmly established itself as an organisation to be reckoned with in both the commercial and social enterprise sector. It has built up an extensive and diverse customer base, made up of both commercial and household customers. Kerbside collection services are currently offered for cans, plastic bottles and a limited amount of office paper, however the servie is extending in the very near future to include additional materials such as glass and textiles. The organisation also works in partnership with housing associations and local tenants and residents associations providing recycling facilities and raising awareness of recycling and other environmental issues. Over the course of the last year Recycle Fife has diverted a whopping 530 tonnes of waste from landfill. No mean feat if you consider how much plastic it takes to make a tonne.

Recycle Fife continues to make strong trading links with many local Fife businesses and is an active member of local and strategic partnerships and networks such as the Fife Social Enterprise Network, SENSCOT and the Fife Community Recycling Network.

Within the last year it has provided 12 full-time employment opportunities, 5 of which were either former New Deal Placements or previous Project Scotland Volunteers. Forty two New Deal Training for Work Placements and 15 Project Scotland Volunteering Placements have been provided.

As social enterprises become more recognised as a viable way to create work opportunities for people Recycle Fife are well placed to encourage the development of this sector and to lead by example. They continues to work towards creating real jobs for people who find it difficult to get on to the job ladder, and in doing so continues to seize the opportunities that others choose to ignore.

In 2003 Recycle Fife won the prestigious Green Apple Environmental Award for Best Practice.

For further information go to www.recyclefife.org.uk

You can contact Recycle Fife on 01592 868543 or by e-mail info@recyclefife.org.uk

Kingdom Housing Association

Kingdom, Glen, Ore Valley and Fife Special Housing Associations channel their expertise, resources and local knowledge into locally based projects, which make a substantial impact on the local communities where they operate. Housing Associations are registered social landlords as well as being regarded as social enterprises. Kingdom Housing Association employs nearly 300 staff, has a development budget of £20m per year and generates income from rents and grant funding.

An environmental improvement project of a playpark at New Flockhouse, Ballingry, which was constructed after consultation with local people. Funding was received from Communities Scotland, Fife Environmental Trust, Community Regeneration Fund ( through the Regeneration Outcome Agreement) and Fife Council.

Andrew McDaniel, Community Initiatives Officer at Kingdom Housing Association, said "The park is more than swings and roundabouts and we have included lots of ideas from the community. There is adventure play equipment for the children and young at heart as well as quiet seating areas for those who just want to enjoy the view and the bio-diversity planting."

The park reflects the industrial heritage of the area by featuring artwork on a mining theme and creates a safe environment for young people to play and learn about environmental issues. It acts as a focal point around which the community can unite and local people will be involved in the ongoing maintenance and supervision.

The park was constructed by the JFK (Group) Ltd through the Ffie Intermediate Labour Market, run by Fife Council, and several trainees gained work experience in environmental works. The Ecology Centre, a social enterprise based at Graigencalt, Kinghorn, supplied the 2 seats on the look-out deck and also runs environmental workshops with local children, thanks to funding from Scottish Natural Heritage.

For further information go to www.kingdomhousing.org.uk

You can contact Kingdom Housing on 01592 631661 or by e-mail kingdom@kingdomhousing.org.uk

Furniture Plus

Furniture Plus is the largest furniture reuse and recycle organisation in Fife. A registered charity, it was founded in Dysart, Fife, in 2001. It now employs 17 full-time staff, and provides opportunities for around 26 volunteers at any one time. They also provide placements for volunteers from Project Scotland and other organisations, and welcome new volunteers on a regular basis.

The main aim of the organisation is to combat business activity of reusing and recycling furniture. The triple bottom line of social, environmental and financial targets is achieved by adopting an income-driven and dynamic business model striving towards full sustainability through commercial trade and sound business principles. Buy providing a free collection service for pre-loved furniture it helps over 7,000 families each year to access low-cost, high-quality furniture and fittings. With 9 vehicles collecting and delivering furniture Fife-wide, it helps those socially excluded by poverty to turn houses into comfortable homes.

In 2006, Furniture Plus created a dedicated business arm, Furniture Plus Trading, to implement a sustainable commercial approach across a range of services. In the first 18 months, the organisation won a substantial number of commercial contracts, including a contract with Fife council to supply voucher start-up packs. The new gardening service was successful in winning several contracts to maintain gardens for both domestic and commercial customers.

Also in 2006 the organisation won 2 categories in the Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards, Environmental and Business, and were finalists in the LARAC recycling awards. In October 2007, they scooped a top award at the Waste Aware Scotland event in Glasgow, when they were announced winners of the Best Community Initiative. These awards reflect the high standard of work across the entire organisation.

Furniture Plus can demonstrate further success by its recycling statistics. In excess of 800 tonnes of unwanted goods are diverted from landfill per year. In the past year, the organisation has made huge inroads on the policy of recycling and re-use of furniture and household goods. Of the tonnage collected by Furniture Plus, only 12% was sent to landfill, an amazing 88% of goods received were saved from landfill. Most of these goods are re-used or re-cycled into industrial hardboard.

For further information go to www.furnitureplus.org.uk.

Furniture Plus can be contacted on 01592 654546 or by e-mail enquiries@furnitureplus.org.uk

If you wish to speak to an adviser call 08451 555555 471876 or 07985 757154
or e-mail: carolynn.cruickshank-gray@fife.gov.uk