London Furniture Reuse Network (FRN) aims to raise the operational standards of the furniture
and appliance reuse sector in London, to make it more sustainable and boost reuse in the community, through:

• Project support & coordination
• Local Authority & Housing association partnerships
• Public awareness raising
• Trainee & volunteer opportunities

The London FRN will also move the sector towards a position where it is collectively capable
of performing a significant role in addressing the requirements of the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) directive. 

(Published by London FRN - March 2007)

Furniture reuse charities in London report a 14% increase in households choosing to send unwanted furniture for reuse and not to landfill.

The 2006 figures - produced by the London Furniture Reuse Network (London FRN) - confirm Londoners donated 73,000 items to furniture reuse last year and provided these as low–cost household items to families living in hardship and poverty.

London FRN’s Regional Development Manager, Richard Featherstone confirms:
“This is fantastic news for the reuse sector, the figures indicate a continual increase in the number of Londoners who choose to send their furniture
and appliances for reuse rather than fly tipping or sending them to landfill. Over 14,500 households were helped by the furniture reuse service
in London in 2006. However, the ideal figure should be around 300,000 households, proving there is still a long way to go and much campaigning
still to be done.”

London FRN provides support to the 16 furniture reuse organisations across London. This will include:

• Bespoke business and technical support.
• A regional voice for the community furniture reuse sector.
• Bringing the sector together in generating collective value from the WEEE Regulations.

Awareness raising will be directed at:

• People in need of essential household items.
• People who wish to donate good quality furniture & appliances.
• Other organisations that can benefit from furniture reuse service.

The initiative will seek to:

• Raise the profile of community furniture and appliance reuse.
• Increase awareness of what happens to old furniture and appliances.
• Improve the facilities for the public to dispose of their unwanted items.
• Increase in both the amount and quality of the bulky items provided to those in need.

Boosting the current collection process will improve waste minimisation for London Boroughs and improve the lives of families currently living without household essentials.

London CRN has secured funding from the Community Recycling and Economic Development (CRED) Programme, through the Big Lottery Fund’s Transforming Waste initiative. Additionally, match funding has been secured through the enhance programme, which is funded by London Development Agency, LDA.