We’re proud to have donated £2,000 to Waste Not Want Not, a charity in Chippenham that provides affordable, quality household items, furniture and white goods to people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
Their showroom aims to replicate the shopping experience and choice offered by high street furniture shops, giving their customers dignity and autonomy when furnishing their new homes. The items are mostly second-hand and are donated by North Wiltshire households, who are keen to ensure their goods do not end up being sent to landfill but have a second life.
Our £2,000 grant will help towards the charity’s rent costs, enabling them to provide affordable goods to around 267 households per month, plus completely free goods to 8 ‘Fresh Start’ clients.
Waste Not Want Not’s ‘Fresh Start’ clients are referred by partner agencies when they move into empty properties after escaping extreme circumstances such as domestic abuse, homelessness or war-torn countries. The charity helps them to rebuild their lives by providing essential household items for free, turning their empty house into a comfortable home.
Waste Not Want Not is operated by a small team of three staff and five volunteers. They also provide year-round work experience placements to students from the local secondary schools and nearby Special Educational Needs schools, supporting them with their life skills whilst building their confidence.
Demand for the service continues to grow, and the organisation has become a vital support for households across Chippenham.
Annalisa Solla, Charity Manager at Waste Not Want Not, said: “The donation will help us continue our mission to redistribute furniture and household goods, ensuring it reaches local people who need it most and supporting a more sustainable, resilient community. Our work relies on generous donations and we are so grateful for GSA’s support.”
Many GSA customers regularly use Waste Not Want Not’s services, and our Housing Officers can refer individuals for specialist help through the Fresh Start scheme.
Simon Henstock, our Locality Manager, said: “We’ve worked closely with Waste Not Want Not since they first formed in 2002 and over the years they’ve provided essential items and services for customers moving into their new homes. To be able to support them with this grant and help with their continuation is such a lovely way of being able to give back to them and say thank you.”
The donation is part of our Community Impact Fund, which grants up to £2,000 to charities and voluntary groups in our localities to support projects that make a positive difference to our customers. The fund is made possible thanks to generous social value donations from some of our suppliers.
Find out more about our Community Impact Fund here.
Waste Not Want Not are currently recruiting for Trustees to expand their Board, find out more here.