DATE: 26/05/2011

For immediate release

The Community Recycling Network (CRN) UK members supported a resolutions to change the organisations name to the Community Resource Network UK at their recent AGM.

The CRN UK AGM, held last Thursday (19^th May) in Manchester, also saw Lucy Danger, (EMERGE Manchester) step down from the Board of Trustees and the adoption of an allegiance with the Zero Waste Alliance.

The decision to change the name reflects the broader range of activities and services that the membership has always offered which not only includes Recycling or reprocessing but increasingly Re-use of a wide range of items and Composting. In this way, all waste is treated as social and environmental resource, and the change of name reflects this.

Heidi Seary, Business Development Manager commented "Our membership are doing such varied activities from furniture, bicycles, wood, food and textiles re-use, to composting, up-cycling of materials and waste education and we no longer felt that recycling network reflected the range of groups we support".

CRN UK follows other networks including the Community Resources Network Scotland and London CRN who have changed their names in recent years.

The CRN UK members also adopted a resolution to form an allegiance with the Zero Waste Alliance and its principles. In anticipation of this there were presentations by Zero Waste Scotlands' Director, Iain Gulland and from John Bland, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority's (GMWDA) Deputy Clerk and Treasurer who challenged the sector to help GMWDA achieve its Zero Waste aim.

Mal Williams, Cylch, put himself forward as CRN's new chair following Lucy Danger's announcement that she was stepping down from the role. "We have been through thick and thin over the last decade and I commend those involved for their resilience and determination throughout that  period of massive change We are in a period of rapid development in resource conservation in the UK and I am determined that the community and its organisations benefit in some real way from the wealth now being created nationwide as the material values increase. There is a lot wrong with the corporate and local authority approach to resource recovery in England and Wales but the context is changing irreversibly and opportunity beckons for those that see the value of changing."

The CRN UK board, staff and members wish Lucy all the very best and would like to thank her for her years of service.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Contact details:  

Community Recycling Network UK

Address: The Grayston Centre, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT

Tel: 020 7324 4708

E-mail: info@crn.org.uk

Website: www.crn.org.uk

Background Information

Community Recycling Network UK is the national umbrella body for community based and not for profit organisations involved in recycling, re-use and waste minimisation activities.

It has around 200 member organisations that include charities, community and not-for-profit organisations involved in recycling, re-use, composting and waste minimisation projects as well as local authorities and other public sector bodies who provide tangible benefits or work closely with the sector.

Zero Waste Alliance UK - www.zwallianceuk.org/ - The aim of the Alliance is to achieve Zero Waste in Britain by 2020. Zero Waste is a concept that entails re-designing products and changing the way waste is handled so that products last longer, materials are recycled, or, in the case of organics, composted. Waste is in the process of being designed away.

Cylch - www.cylch.org - the Wales Community Recycling Network provide information, advice and support to existing and emerging community recyclers across Wales.

EMERGE Manchester - www.emergemanchester.co.uk - pioneers of waste recycling services in Manchester, EMERGE (East Manchester Environment and Resources Group EMERGE) is an environmental charity with over 10 years experience of empowering individuals, businesses and communities to reduce, re-use and recycle.

Zero Waste Scotland - www.zerowastescotland.org.uk - Zero Waste Scotland delivers a range of support programmes, campaigns and other interventions to help people and organisations on the journey to Zero Waste.

Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority - www.gmwda.gov.uk - are responsible for dealing with the 1.1 million tonnes of waste produced each year, from the 1,009,815 households and resident population of over 2.27 million (AGMA 2009)  in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford.