Recycle for Greater Manchester

Groups encouraging recycling, fixing, mending, borrowing, and sharing given Community Fund boost


  • Twenty community groups in Greater Manchester awarded a share of £220,000 to support their work in fixing, mending, borrowing, sharing and donating household items, instead of replacing them with new items or throwing them away
  • Renew Community Fund awarded a total of £1.1m to 110 local projects since 2021.
  • Projects supported this year include initiatives to upskill residents in how to repair clothes and household items, and groups supporting their communities with the cost of living
  • The Renew Community Fund uses proceeds from sales of preloved household items in Renew Shops

Twenty community groups across Greater Manchester are set to benefit from £220,000 in funding to support innovative projects that bring people together while keeping household items in use for longer.

The Renew Community Fund has awarded a total of £1.1m to 110 local projects since 2021. These projects have been pivotal in encouraging residents to recycle, fix, mend, borrow, and share items, helping to keep these items in use, minimise waste and generate wider social benefits.

The fund received a record number of applications with a total of 113 projects bidding for funding, almost 50% more than in the previous round. The successful projects will use a range of techniques to engage with their local communities:

  • Large grants: Two grants of £20,000 each have been secured by Gorse Hill Studios in Trafford and Restocked CIC in Stockport. Gorse Hill Studios will build a new community space entirely from preloved and donated materials, which will host a café and repair workshops for local people to learn new skills. Restocked CIC will take unwanted household items, putting them back into communities that need them while educating people on repair and reuse.
  • Children and families: Addressing the cost-of-living crisis is high on the agenda. Withington Baby Bank will support families on very low income and in temporary accommodation by providing healthy meals and access to baby care essentials and clothes. Take Action Together will create and distribute curriculum-aligned loan boxes made from household waste, alongside hands-on reuse workshops and open creative sessions. Breightmet Community Group will redistribute pre-loved school uniforms and essentials to families in need through their Community Locker.
  • Changing attitudes: Encouraging people to rethink their habits is key to increasing reuse. Across Ummah CIC will challenge cultural stigma around reuse in African households by hosting workshops focusing on mending, repairing, and reusing items. Future Directions will work with adults with learning disabilities and autism to promote the importance of reducing household waste.
  • Repair: Even more residents will have access to free repairs in their local area. Gorton Monastery will provide the community with the skills and knowledge to repair everyday items such as bikes, small appliances and furniture. Seven Acres Men in Sheds will also run a weekly repair café and workshops.
  • Upskilling: A range of opportunities for residents to learn new skills will be available. The Beginning Group will combine creative workshops with employment support to empower low-income residents to learn new skills and spark enterprise. The BYachad Youth Project will engage teenagers in the art of woodwork, transforming discarded furniture and materials into functional pieces. Groundwork Greater Manchester will provide local residents with the skills to develop their sewing ability and confidence, connect with their local community and gain a greater understanding of textile waste.

Cllr Tom Ross, GMCA lead for the Environment, Waste and Recycling, said:

“Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups play a vital role in our communities, which is why it’s so important that we continue to support them. The Renew Community Fund is unique in that the money is raised by residents donating preloved household items that are repaired and resold in Renew Shops. I’m proud that we are continuing to run the Community Fund and help so many groups do such important work in their communities.”

Daniel Carolan, Greater Manchester Contract Director for SUEZ, said:

“We are incredibly proud to see the positive impact of Renew on local communities across Greater Manchester. This funding is a direct result of residents' fantastic efforts in donating and buying pre-loved items. This scheme is a perfect example of how the circular economy can benefit everyone, from helping to reduce waste to bringing people together and empowering them with new skills.”

Rebecca Hill from Restocked CIC said:

"We are absolutely delighted and so grateful to receive this funding. It means we can set up our workshop, rescue more furniture from going to waste, and help local people facing furniture poverty to create homes they can be proud of. Beyond that, this funding also gives us the chance to share skills in upholstery, upcycling, and carpentry with our community. It’s a huge boost at the very start of our journey, and we can’t thank the Renew Community Fund enough for believing in our vision and future."

The annual Renew Community fund comes from the sale of preloved household items in a joint initiative by Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) and waste contractor SUEZ recycling and recovery UK (SUEZ). The items are collected at the recycling centres across Greater Manchester, before being cleaned and repaired for resale in three Renew Shops located at centres in Oldham, Trafford and Salford, as well as through an eBay store and online shop. The fund is managed by the Greater Manchester Environment Trust (GMET), the UK’s first regional environmental impact fund.

Money raised at the Renew shops also results in an annual donation to Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, supporting efforts to address homelessness and rough sleeping.

The full list of successful projects is as follows:

  • Gorse Hill Studios: Bric-a-Brac Brew
  • Restocked CIC: Restocked Stockport
  • The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust: Gorton Monastery Share and Repair Shop
  • Across Ummah CIC: Changing Mindsets in Marginalized Communities
  • Byachad Youth Project: Woodwork Skills Classes
  • Khidma Ladies Community Group: Khidma Ladies Recycle
  • Fallowfield & Withington Foodbank: Withington Baby Bank & Community Kitchen
  • Take Action Together CIC: RE:Play It Forward – A Creative Reuse & Redistribution Hub
  • The Beginning Group: ReVive Project - Crafting Change Through Upcycling
  • Caring and Sharing Rochdale: Clothing and Household Item Redistribution
  • Groundwork Greater Manchester: Rag Revival
  • Breightmet Community Group: Community Locker
  • Your Music NW CIC: Sound Fix Sessions
  • NEPHRA Good Neighbours: The North Manchester Fix, Flip & Flourish Project
  • SAMIS (Seven Acres Men in Sheds: Repair and Upscaling Café
  • Chorlton Bike Deliveries: Bikes for Refugees
  • The East Manchester Academy: Beswick Community Composting Hub
  • Future Directions CIC: Green Superheroes to the Rescue: Use Up, Do Up and Don’t Throw Away!
  • Stepping Stone Projects: Home to Home
  • Humbug Community CIC: Weaving Waste into Wonder

For further information, please visit https://gmet.org.uk/

Article Published: 30/09/2025 10:41 AM