Reuse, Repair, Recycle
Charity Shops/Community Organisations:
British Heart Foundation (Truro)
British Heart Foundation has three stores in the Truro area
- The Furniture and Electrical Store at Chiltern House, Calenick Street, Truro, UK, TR1 2SF has a great range of quality preloved furniture, electricals and homewares. Donations of unwanted furniture and appliances welcomed. Drop off in store or use the collection service. Visit https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/find-bhf-near-you/truro-furniture-electrical-store
- The new Truro BHF Home Store is on the Threemilestone Retail Park Unit 2A, Truro TR4 8GA
and sells a wide range of donated furniture and electrical appliances. More details
https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/find-bhf-near-you/truro2-home-store where you can book a free home collection online. - The third shop can be found at 16 St Nicholas St, Truro, Cornwall, UK, TR1 2RW Tel. 01872
223275. Items, from clothing, shoes and accessories to books, toys, homeware and greetings cards
on offer https://www.bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/find-bhf-near-you/truro-st-nicholas-street-bhf-shop
Cornish Hospice Care (Falmouth, Penryn & Truro)
Cornwall Hospice Care has seven branches across the Falmouth/Penryn/Truro area selling good quality donated furniture, appliances, and homewares.
There are four shops in Falmouth (including Mawnan Smith), one in Penryn (Commercial Road), and two in Truro including a Donation Centre (Moresk).
For full details of locations visit https://www.cornwallhospicecare.co.uk/shop/find-our-shops/ – and also to find out more about the work of Cornwall Hospice Care; the range of services they provide, and how to support them through donations of saleable items of furniture and other household goods. Collection service for donated goods available. Phone their Collection Line on 01726 874066
Hidden Help
Hidden Help’s aim is to reach families who have ‘fallen through the net’. By collecting donations of unwanted, but still serviceable household goods the charity is able to repair as necessary, up-cycle, and redistribute to those who are in urgent need.
https://hiddenhelp.org/ and they are also on facebook
Note: their new base is now at Unit 3, Wheal Rose Estate, Redruth TR16 5FJ – for all deliveries, donations, collections and the shop
Re-Store Truro
Re-store aims to improve the lives of those who have been in supported living, or are on low incomes, by providing them with the essentials to set up home, re-using donated household items such as fridges, sofas, cookers, TVs and any other items that are in good condition.
For more information visit https://www.citylifechurch.co.uk/re-store/ or call Chris on 07597 983562 if you have an item to donate. Collection can be arranged.
Household Electrical Appliances
Reuse
Some charity shops welcome donations of unwanted/surplus reusable electrical appliances in good condition – which they test before reuse/resale. See those listed above.
A limited number of small electrical items, in saleable condition, can also be accepted at the new Kernow Reuse Shops based at local HWRCs – either at Falmouth/Penryn HWRC (nr Longdowns) or at Truro HWRC (Tregurra Parc, nr Waitrose). Check out https://suezcornwall.co.uk/what-we-do/re-use/ and click on the embedded social media link (facebook) for regular updates.
Repair
Falmouth/Penryn Repair Cafe (see main entry under TGtW: Repair and Reuse Community Projects ) meets at the Princess Pavilion on the 2nd Sunday of the month (check with them first), and also has a useful list of local companies who can help with commercial repair of electrical appliances https://fprc.org.uk/fixes/
Some well-known brands like Roberts Radio, for example, have an efficient and reasonably priced in-house repair service for faulty products www.robertsradiotechnical.co.uk
Recycling
Currys (Treliske Retail Park, Truro) has a take-back scheme for any “old tech” – no need to buy in store – see www.currys.co.uk/techtalk/kitchen-and-home/how-to-get-rid-of-your-unwanted-tech.html. They have a “cash for trash” incentive which you can put towards any future purchase.
Check out B&Q (Kernick Industrial Park, Penryn) https://www.diy.com/services/weee which will take small appliances, also without an obligation to buy. Always worth asking about recycling old appliances wherever you shop for new items.
Boots will also take your old small electrical appliances for recycling, but only on a like-for-like basis https://www.boots.com/electrical/recycle-your-electricals. Anything with a plug, cable or battery can be accepted. Make sure you bag up your items before visiting your local store.
Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Cornwall take a wide range of electrical items for reuse (see above) and recycling including fridges, freezers, cookers, TVs/monitors, energy-saving bulbs, fluorescent tubes, batteries and vapes – see www.cornwall.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling-and-waste/household-waste-and-recycling-centres/ for the full list of items accepted at both Falmouth/Penryn and Truro HWRCs
We plan to visit computers, mobile phones, batteries and vapes in more detail shortly.
Note: Reports suggest that electrical/electronic equipment is the UK’s (and the world’s) fastest-growing type of waste. Action is required. Here’s some recent circular economy news from the Innovation Network
www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/uk-cracks-down-on-electrical-waste-to-reach-circular-economy-goals
Source : Zero Waste Scotland (December 2024)
Also see Repair Cafes and Freegle and LETS