FROM swap events in Dumfries and Fife to yard sales in Inverness and a re-use room build on the Isle of Islay, Scotland is gearing up to celebrate its first-ever Pass it on Day.
The new national day, which this year falls on 5th June, is dedicated to celebrating all things re-use and leading design guru, John Amabile, is set to launch it with a reuse house makeover.
John, best known for his role on ITV’s hit interior design show ‘60 Minute Makeover’, will oversee the final stages of the Grand Reuse House Makeover where an empty Edinburgh property is being turned into a home using 100 per cent reused and recycled paint, furniture and carpets.
He’ll then open the house for viewing on Friday 4 June in celebration of Pass it on Day.
Commenting on the initiative, John said: “I’m delighted to launch Pass it on Day. Things go out of fashion quickly in the design world but I have always been a big fan of recycling, re-using and reinventing – whether it’s decorating paint tins to look like canal barge plant pots, re-covering chairs and bed headboards or transforming old tyres into attractive fruit bowls.
“A long-time favourite reuse of mine was to take a pair of unwanted curtains and turn them into duvet covers with matching pillow, or padding them to make attractive throws. Just because we don’t want it doesn’t mean it can’t be loved as is by another or transformed into something useful and wonderful and reused.”
The makeover project, a collaboration between the Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) and Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association brings together reuse organisations Edinburgh Furniture Initiative (EFI), RePaint Scotland, Spruce Carpets, Fresh Start and Good Green Fun – just some of the many reuse organisations across Scotland working to help people and the environment.
The brainchild of the CRNS and Zero Waste Scotland, Pass it on Day is being designed as a fun series of events across the country to encourage people to pass on their good quality unwanted items for the benefit of others and to discover their local reuse organisations (where you can find some real second-hand gems as well as make donations).
Pauline Hinchion, chief executive of the CRNS, said: “We’re excited about the potential of Pass it on Day to make a mark in the yearly calendar. Everyone has something to pass on and the Day is a great opportunity to get out and discover all the benefits of reuse. Above all, Pass it on Day is about having fun – whether it’s swapping clothes or CDs, uncovering something chic and unique or pocketing a bargain.”
There are 23 Pass it on events taking place around Scotland, details of which can be found at www.passitonday.com. They include swap events in Kinghorn, Glenrothes, Orkney and Dumfries; a patchwork workshop at Home Basics in the Borders, a visiting magician at Furniture Plus in Inverkeithing, a household item giveaway at Home from Home in Dunbartonshire; a yard sale at New Start Highland in Inverness and the ReJIG Room Build on Islay.
The Pass it on Day team will also be on-hand to talk about reuse and recycling over the weekend at Gardening Scotland at Ingliston and the Meadows Festival in Edinburgh.
Ylva Haglund, Zero Waste Scotland campaign officer, said: “We’re delighted to be taking part in Scotland’s first Pass it on Day. By donating unwanted items people can play their part in securing a greener future for Scotland through diverting these items from landfill.
“Thousands of reusable items still end up in landfill sites unnecessarily when there are community projects that can make good use of them. By inviting people to take part in this year’s Pass it on Day, we hope more people will choose to reuse.”
For more information on Pass it on Day visit: www.passitonday.com
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Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of CRNS and Zero Waste Scotland.
For further press information please contact Vanessa Warren at the BIG Partnership, 0131 555 5522, vanessa.warren@bigpartnership.co.uk
Notes to Editors
Pass it on Day is a partnership between the Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) and Zero Waste Scotland. The website, www.passitonday.com contains information about the day, local events and the benefits of reuse.
About the CRNS
The Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) represents over 120 recycling and reuse organisations across the country that work to help people, and create real social, environmental and economic benefits for local communities. CRNS members help to save our resources and prevent a vast range of products and materials from ending up in landfill. See www.crns.org.uk for more information.
About Zero Waste Scotland
Zero Waste Scotland is the new programme created by the Scottish Government to support delivery of its Zero Waste plan.
Zero Waste Scotland has been created to provide a one-stop-shop for support and advice to individuals, businesses and local authorities in order to help them reduce waste, recycle more and use natural resources more efficiently.
It will integrate the activities of WRAP Scotland, Waste Aware Scotland, Keep Scotland Tidy, Remade Scotland, Envirowise in Scotland, NISP in Scotland, and some programmes delivered by the Community Recycling Network for Scotland.
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