ne
“you cannot do it alone.”
W andy simpson, project manager,
b with Jo Ward, chief executive.
U
sines
s
fUll CirCle.
a household goods recYcling business
has transformed itself from humble
beginnings into an award-winning
venture. inform reports
Successful businesses do not all begin with an ‘Einstein- vans, employ six staff and rent a town centre building
inventor’ making a pioneering discovery or developing for 15 months.
the latest high-tech gadget. “The Yorkshire Forward grant was crucial because it was
Just as many become successful after spotting gaps part of the first investment in us,” says Re-Furnish chief
in markets and filling them with well-thought out and executive Jo Ward.
innovative solutions. The not-for-profit company now employs 20 staff, runs
Take Doncaster Re-Furnish – a social enterprise that seven vans and has four centres, supplying families in
ticks all the boxes when it comes to providing a service need and diverting thousands of tonnes of waste from
to customers and reducing the region’s waste. landfill. Re-Furnish has also provided volunteering,
Re-Furnish is subcontracted to Doncaster Council’s training and work placement opportunities – including
waste collectors to pick up household goods worth for those on community service – to 420 people.
recycling as well as accepting donated items from the Earlier this year Re-Furnish won the ‘Business of the
public. It repairs all electrical goods to national standards Year’ and ‘Enterprise through Innovation’ awards at The
and, along with furniture, sells them at low cost to people Biz Awards. Hosted by Bradford Chamber of Commerce,
in need. the awards recognise enterprise in the region.
Formed in 2003 from five small community groups, the “Our biggest challenge was getting people on board,”
business has gone from strength to strength following reflects Jo. “My advice to other new businesses is to
support and funding from the likes of Doncaster Council, keep going – it took a while to get people to listen to us,
Yorkshire Forward, Key Fund Yorkshire and Business Link. and you cannot do it alone.”
The funding enabled Re-Furnish to buy two collection www.refurnish.co.uk
inform september 2008 page 16
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