Scrap Art Material Store collects surplus objects and reuses them for educational and creative activity

(26/03/2009)

Scrap Art Material Store (SAMS) was set up as a Community Enterprise in 2004 with a small number of members using the facility. To date the project continues to grow with more than 850 member groups regularly making trips to this Aladdin’s cave to collect art and craft material. ‘A treasure trove’, ‘a sweet shop’, and ‘magical’ are all descriptions that project manager Joanne Mason has heard from customers when they walk into the emporium of scrap known as SAMS in Blackburn.

Located on an industrial estate, SAMS is where surplus objects are collected, displayed and resold for a minimal charge to nurseries, schools, faith, community and craft groups as well as individuals.

Everything from Alpaca wool to off cuts of wallpaper from local manufacturer Graham and Brown are collected directly from the supplier and rather than being sent to landfill they are reused in educational and creative activity.

The benefits from SAMS are manifold: Companies reduce their carbon footprint, develop their corporate social responsibility and minimise their disposal costs; communities get to meet in a unique creative environment; landfill is reduced which has a positive impact on pollution and ozone; children are able to create and achieve through the every child matters curriculum.

SAMS operates as a not-for-profit social enterprise where public and private organisations are welcome. It aims to raise awareness and encourage recycling within the local and business community.

Members are welcome from every sector and there is a sliding scale members fee from as little as £10 per year for OAPs and students, to £30 for a school or other non-voluntary organisation. For this members are welcome to visit SAMS and fill a large shopping trolley of goods for just £13 - as many times as they wish.

As a supplier of scrap, the possibilities of what you find are endless. Joanne said: “We have all types of individuals and organisations coming to source alternative and interesting items for their work, from window dressers to nursery teachers, we get all kinds of people coming through the doors and there is so much here to inspire people. As we collect anything that has a reuse, we need people to make informed choices regarding what’s on offer as we collect useful items for the nought to 90 age range.”

Joanne Mason puts a lot of their success down to the team of volunteers they have working from them. Joanne’s day will involve everything from sweeping the floor to merchandising to showing around customers and booking in a craft class.

She said: “When we get a call from a business wishing to dispose of something, we need to do a quick turnaround. We don’t want whatever it is to end up in landfill, so we must pick it up as quickly as possible. Our volunteers really help us out and are invaluable.”

Related categories:  Paper and cardboard recycling   Recyclable materials   Textile recycling   Wood and timber recycling