The Creative Side of Recycling

Feeling creative? Time to fill? For between two and five dollars a day you can indulge your artistic talents at Floyds’ Creative Art, a charitable trust that is open to anyone who wishes to try their hand at being creative. 

As a charitable trust Floyds’ has limited funding, and the opportunity to locate materials for practical and creative use is much appreciated. “We get so many resources from Waste Exchange” says Amy Kelly, Floyds’ manager. “We have accessed Dacron, which was used in soft toys; wood for the woodwork department and for maintenance; paint for the art department; and folders for the administration office. We even got shopping trolleys – they were used as an art project for our tutors in a Christmas team exercise.” 

Recently the creative art space received clean chipboard which has been of use in several departments. “The art department used it for paintings” Amy says. “They were large boards so it was nice for our service users to have the opportunity to do some large artwork. Some were used in our graffiti art programme, using stencils and spray paints, and other boards were used by the woodwork department. They used them to make toolboxes, and to mock up shelving and drawers. 

“We have used Waste Exchange extensively over the three years I’ve been at Floyds’; it’s a brilliant idea. It’s quite exciting for our staff to see what recycled materials are available, and to think up new and innovative ways of using those materials. 

“Without TerraNova’s Waste Exchange we wouldn’t be able to keep our service and material charges so low and affordable. I just wish more commercial businesses would join it. It’s important for places like us to get support from commercial businesses with these supplies, and also for businesses to make the effort to recycle.” 

Shopping trolley/chair	Grafitti art on old chipboard sheets	Soft Toys	BBQ chair from recycled wood	Paintings on old chipboard	Toolbox made from chipboard