Southampton Scrapstore, a 35-year-old arts and crafts resource centre which saves discarded materials from landfill so they can be used for creative projects by schools, community groups and individuals, is on the lookout for more members after quieter times during the pandemic. We took a tour to find out more. Read on, and see our photo gallery and video.
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“It’s somewhere you can come – be inspired to do things … and just know that what you’re buying would have gone to landfill if it hadn’t been for here,” said Carol Clark, who volunteers at the Scrapstore and who showed us round.
“So it’s about recycling. Reusing."
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Carol has been volunteering for about six years, after becoming an individual member, “just collecting things to make things from”.
“I love sewing. I’m not an artist but I do like sewing,” she said.
“I came in one day and there was a postcard asking for volunteers and I started working part-time at about that time, so I had the time to do it.”
Materials are donated either by individuals or companies, and the Scrapstore operates from a modern commercial unit at Belgrave Industrial Estate, just off Kent Road in St Denys.
“We do need to take money in to keep the doors open,” explained Carol.
Watch a video clip shot at the Scrapstore below:
“We pay rent. We pay electric. We pay water. We pay to get the refuse taken away, so we’ve got the overheads.”
The not-for-profit charity’s membership is mainly made up of schools, community groups, and other charity groups as well as individuals. There’s an individual membership of £19.50 for a year, and members can then buy most materials by the bag from about £1.50 up to £8 depending on quantity – although some items are offered in exchange for a donation.
There’s also a £5 day membership as an alternative.
“500+ members use the materials in working with 50,000 children and 6,000 adults in and around Southampton – anyone is welcome to join as a member," their website says.
While there are regular ‘lines’, stock is ever-changing, so you never quite know what you’ll find.
As well as rolls of fabric (and books of fabric samples), knitting needles, buttons, yarn, and shelves of art and craft materials, on our visit we came across – among other things: outdoor seat cushions (four for £3); duvet covers; possibly ex-display rugs; and some round wooden things with a hole in the middle! Apparently someone had laminated similar items previously and turned them into a bowl.
Carol with a, er, wooden disc
“We always ask our members, if they’ve found a really good use for something to put a picture on our Facebook page, please. So watch that space. Somebody will find a use for these,” said Carol, coming across another new, yet somewhat undefinable, stock item.
Also on duty during our visit was Sue, staffing the cash desk. She started volunteering last year.
“I’d been a member and I had lost my job during the pandemic so I wanted to volunteer somewhere,” she said.
“It’s handy for my home and I like doing things, and doing things with the grandchildren. And every week I go home with something.
“I’m sort of taking it from here gradually and putting it in my house. Paying for it of course!”
Carol said that all the volunteers are “into some sort of craft”, and that the Scrapstore offers event memberships as well, at £30 for three months – useful if you want to create signage or run a craft tent, for instance.
We came across a member browsing with her children. Lorna visits once a week for the school where she works.
“For my reception classes [there are] loads of things we can recycle for art projects and for DT projects, and there’s loads of inspiration here. So people make things and hang them up, which is really good,” she said.
“Some of the materials you don’t know what you’re going to do with and then it gives you ideas. And we like the fact that it’s recycling. And I also bring my own children too, and they can do stuff in the holidays.”
Another member, Shelby, said she tries to come every month or so when she can.
“I tend to look for fabrics and paper craft sorts of things, just to use when I’ve got a bit of spare time.” she said.
“I really like it … that every time you come in there’s something different, and then you never know what you’re going to find, so it’s sort of like a treasure hunt.”
• Southampton Scrapstore is at Unit 15 Belgrave Industrial Estate, Swaythling, Southampton SO17 3EA
Tel: 023 8040 2812 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Faceboook:https://www.facebook.com/sotonscrapstore Twitter: https://twitter.com/sotonscrapstore
To find out more about Southampton Scrapstore, including opening hours, membership, volunteering and becoming a supplier, visit https://southamptonscrapstore.org.uk/