A Dunstable social enterprise team are getting set to recycle premises on the ex-ERG factory site into the biggest “reuse centre” in the region.
Award-winning Preen CIC, a community interest company with the slogan “pass it on”, provides donated furniture and household goods at affordable prices.
Special discounts are given for people suffering financial hardship.
The team will launch the new Luton Road centre in September.
It will be a spacious replacement for the current Preen Furniture Bank outlet in West Street.
About 14,000 square feet of retail space will be available at the new centre, on the Eastern Avenue Industrial Estate, and it will have parking facilities, too.
The company’s first reuse centre opened in Biggleswade in 2007.
Now the Dunstable team aim to offer an even wider range of furniture, white goods and small electrical items at low prices.
Kathy Lewis, managing director, said: “The size of this new site is a real bonus for us and our customers.
“It’s huge and we’re planning to fill it with masses of furniture, a newly extended range of white goods including fridges, freezers, cookers, TVs, video and DVD players (all safety-tested and with a guarantee), carpets, curtains, books, children’s toys, and more.
“In fact, just about everything you need to help you make your house into a home.”
The team also aims to boost the number of items reused and to reduce the amount going to landfill.
Kathy said: “We collect suitable items free of charge so you can easily clear your unwanted furniture and electrical appliances with the knowledge that other people are making good use of them.
“The bigger site also means there’ll be lots of exciting new activities coming to the Preen Centre in the future – so keep watching this space.”
As a social enterprise, any profits go on improving and expanding its services, particularly for disadvantaged people.
The Preen team say since their launch, they have helped more than 5,600 low-income households in Central Beds, rescued hundreds of tonnes of reusable items, and have created jobs and volunteering and training opportunities.
> To donate furniture or other household goods, or for advice on donating, call 0844 99 343 99. Check out guidelines at www.reusematters.com, by clicking on the ‘donate’ tab.