Dunstable’s big new Preen Reuse Centre has opened ahead of schedule, giving a new lease of life to the former ERG factory.
On Thursday, September 13, the award-winning social enterprise team launched the new centre, the biggest of its kind in the region.
Preen CIC, a community interest company with the slogan “pass it on”, provides donated furniture and household goods at affordable prices.
The goods are inspected, given safety checks and cleaned before being sold.
Special discounts are given for people suffering financial hardship.
The new centre is off Luton Road, on the Eastern Avenue Industrial Estate.
It has about 14,000sqft of retail space,and is a roomy replacement for the former Preen base in West Street.
Preen CIC is the only organisation of its kind on the Trading Standards Approved list.
On opening day, there was an impressive display of used furniture, electrical appliances and household goods, from big-hearted Bedfordshire donors.
Preen CIC managing director Kathy Lewis said: “What’s been achieved here proves how important reuse is to so many people.”
Members of the public checked out the new centre, as did representatives from agencies helping people in need.
Kathy said: “They were all delighted with the wider choice we’re able to offer now on this big new site and they wanted to know about our recently introduced scheme for people in crisis, and the new Resource Centre we’re planning.”
The crisis scheme enables organisations and individuals involved with people in need to refer clients to Preen, where they can buy furniture and household goods at a “one time only” special rate.
Kathy added: “The comments from people who visited the new reuse centre have been wonderful, and are a well-deserved reward for all the hard work our staff, volunteers and work experience team have put in, getting the site up and running.”
> A new resource centre also being set up by Preen is the first of its type in Bedfordshire.
The idea is for companies and individuals to donate unwanted products, such as unused paper and card, fabric offcuts, wallpaper and arts and crafts materials.
Items will be collected free of charge and shared with schools and community groups.
> Call Preen on 0844 99 343 99. For donation guidelines, go to www.reusematters.com and click the Donate tab.