We at TaG collect clean industrial surplus materials from local companies (we can supply special containers if appropriate) and deliver them safely to our Warwickshire "Warehouse of Wonders" where we sort, stack and store them according to size, colour and texture for use as source materials in arts and crafts training workshops. We also provide dedicated workshop space, and feel proud to contribute our time and funding in this way. We believe the future outcome of raising environmental awareness will be worth it.
Local companies provide materials (which they would otherwise throw away) ranging from film reels, cones of yarn, buttons, sequins, cardboard tubes and sheets, foam and insulating foam, CDs/DVDs and cases, wire/string/tape/cord/ribbon, tin foil, polystyrene, wadding, to wood/metal/plastics/leather/rubber, and reject plastic mouldings.
TaG's MD says:
Surplus materials produced by business are seen as treasure by the chldren and artists allowing them to create amazing models that inspire people like you and me. It's better to reuse these materials than to simply discard them with no thought for other people or the environment. When one business supplies one 1100litre wheelie bin containing approximately 350kg of material to CREATES each month it diverts over 4 tonnes of waste from landfill per year.
CREATES training workshops demonstrate to and inspire workshop attendees to take with them to their groups in other locations materials for further arts and craft use. Education through the arts is achieved demonstrating the values of environmental management, eco-efficiency, and sustainability of material use. These messages are not only taught in the workshops, but are also rolled out more widely by, for example, teachers going back with the messages (and materials) to their classrooms.
