By restoring, repairing and repurposing pre-owned items destined for recycling and giving them a second chance, Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice (GBCH) has cracked a groundbreaking formula for making a positive contribution to the environment whilst raising vital funds to provide palliative care and support in the community.

RePurpose has been diverting unwanted goods that were destined for recycling, and giving them a second chance, since 2019. This local project is a partnership between the Hospice, Royal Borough of Greenwich and Veolia UK and is based in the council’s recycling centre in Thamesmead. It is run by a team of enthusiastic and talented staff and volunteers, who work together to transform hundreds of items each year. Money raised through the sales of these unique items will help to generate funds for the Hospice which contributes to the delivery of essential palliative care and support services in the community.

Manager at Repurpose, Lawrence Cue, said: “Since having the opportunity to join the Hospice and work at RePurpose, I have been amazed by the passion and dedication of our volunteers. Being a part of a wonderful charity, and helping to support our local communities, gives everyone an extra sense of achievement, knowing each item we can re-sell brings in much needed funds to support the Hospice and the amazing work it does each year. I feel very lucky to be involved with a project like RePurpose, and look forward to the exciting possibilities which lie ahead.”

Cllr Sarah Merrill, Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainability and Transport said: “Alongside recycling, reusing objects is another important way that we can help reduce waste in the borough.

“The RePurpose shop is a fantastic place where un-loved objects are given a second chance and the fact that the proceeds will go to support the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, means it is having a positive impact on our local community as well as the environment.”

David Fitzgerald, General Manager for Veolia, said: “At Veolia, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to work in partnership with RePurpose and the London Borough of Greenwich, as we support residents to make more sustainable choices. We thank Greenwich residents for their ongoing participation and contribution to the circular economy.”

Many of the items that pass through the workshop are vintage or rare or have a very interesting history of their own. These include a cabinet that had a small crack in the glass pane – a result of the Second World War bomb falling nearby at the time (the cabinet was restored, but the cracked pane was left in); a very rare and impressive, woodworking plane, which was restored and sold on to a joinery company in Wales. A more recent addition to the workshop includes three rare and collectible Tintin statues, intricately carved from one piece of wood, with two of the statues standing over four feet tall! If you’re looking for items that are unusual or quirky, antique or rare, then think RePurpose. What leaves the workshop are unique, one of a kind pieces that have been beautifully transformed to a high standard.