It’s hard to visit a scrap store and not feel creative – all those different materials ready to be used in an exciting art project. Reusing materials in this way is higher up the ‘waste hierarchy’ than recycling, which, in simple terms means it’s good for the environment.

Established in 1988, Wandsworth Work and Play is a locally run Community Scrapstore and Resource Centre based in Tooting. The scheme is a unique partnership with the business sector, whose freely donated surplus materials are collected, and then redistributed to the community sector who re-use the materials as a resource for education and play.

The donated materials are made available at a reasonable cost to over 160 subscribing groups in adult education, social services, nursery, primary and secondary education, the health service and in the community/voluntary sector.

The scheme provides a practical, engaging and informal way to re-use clean waste materials for those groups and individuals who would not usually be able to afford these sorts of materials or access this sort of service. It is young children especially who benefit from the ‘Work and Play’ concept as it follows the path of the ‘development through play’ philosophy. However, adults can join in the fun too, and reap great rewards by helping them to realise and develop their own personal creativity.

Support from London CRN

Sharing Resources helped secure over £20,000 from WREF (Western Riverside Environmental Fund). This money established a new post – Support Worker - and the ability to increase capacity within the organisation to become more sustainable. This followed a long and intense period of fundraising to create a workshop/classroom area (42²m), acquire a new gas powered vehicle and refurbish parts of the storage areas.

Work and Play is now in a strong position to realise its full potential and plans to achieve this through increasing membership in the four WREF boroughs (Wandsworth, Hammersmith & Fulham, Lambeth, and Kensington & Chelsea), maintaining and increasing the range and quality of materials, establishing a web presence for members, suppliers etc., developing a structure to increase volunteer input and training and establishing a firm basis for continued staffing and upgrading of Work and Play.