Enabling Environments: Scrapstore - To a fine art

While £1 might buy you a tester of pot of paint in your local DIY store, it will buy you a whole litre at the Children's SCRAP Project (CSP) in London. If you are a project member, you will get it free of charge.

The paint recycling scheme is just one of the services offered by the Homerton-based charity, which is committed to advancing education and play by collecting, storing and distributing donated materials suitable for arts and crafts projects.

Twenty tonnes of resources - from buttons, foil and fabric to cork, wood offcuts and carpet samples - pass through CSP's 6,000 sq ft warehouse every month. This means the charity's recycling efforts save more than 200 tonnes of material a year from ending up as landfill.

The organisation was established in 1978 in response to education cuts. CSP project co-ordinator Morris Bennett says, 'The project was one of the original proponents of the scrapstore philosophy as it is today. With a small dedicated staff of four and volunteers, it is able to provide a brilliant service to local groups,who have an Aladdin's cave on their doorstep.

'Having a diverse range of materials in our warehouse is a critical for achieving our targets for development. We currently have a very healthy supply source and plenty of stock to serve us through any recession.

'We have also been able to provide materials to groups outside the borough. Although they tend to visit less than local groups, they still get value for money and plenty of new ideas and inspiration from our materials, workshops and competitions.

MEMBERSHIP GROUP

CSP currently has nearly 600 member groups and serves some 60,000 service users. Members can collect and visit as many times as they need for an average of £15 per month.

Membership is available to any group involved in arts, crafts, play and learning, as well as community groups. Schools, children's centres and nurseries are among CSP's members. Private, voluntary and independent as well as maintained early years settings are eligible to join.

Members pay a fixed annual charge of £88 plus a fee per child within their organisation. The maximum fee per child is £1.50. Full membership details are on the charity's website.

Mr Bennett says, 'Our next membership subscription starts in April. If nurseries join now, they can start collecting immediately and get one month free.'

MORE INFORMATION

• Children's Scrap Project, http://childrensscrap.co.uk, 020 8985 6290
• CSP's workshops are run by See 'n' Make, the charity's artist in residence, www.seenmake.com.

To find out more, email dave@seenmake.com.

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