Delivering the Goods Again

Coventry-based Goods Again have recently delivered their 5000 th recycled electrical item, to local furniture recycling scheme Turnaround. Operational for 17 months, Goods Again is assisted by prisoners to carry out repairs on re-useable electrical items, which are then passed onto households on low incomes. The project has had a significant impact in the local area, as Turnaround manager David Martin explains: "the Goods Again team at HMP and YOI Onley has helped Turnaround...become a one-stop shop for anyone on benefits". Louise Boffey of the Warwickshire Environmental Trust agrees: "demand for the refurbished products remains high which is a compliment to the work of...the prisoners...who carry out most of the repairs". So far the scheme has collected over 13,000 items, weighing 110 tonnes, 90 per cent of which has been reused or recycled.

A partnership between Warwickshire Environment Trust, Coventry City Mission, Her Majesty's Prison Onley and Warwickshire County Council, Goods Again offers both employment-focused training for prisoners and a way to reduce appliances sent to landfill. It is funded by the Big Lottery Fund's Community Recycling and Economic Development (CRED) Programme, Biffaward and Her Majesty's Prison Service.