Our tenancy is still being negotiated. We have been offered an extension of five years to our tenancy. We would like to thank Social Services, Richmond Parish Lands, SPEAR, Hampton Fuel Allotment Trust and many others for their support.
Bridge House Trust have made a grant over three years to help us increase re-use and recycling of discarded furniture. The funding is for a further year.
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity continue to support us generously both financially and with referrals. In August 2007 the Trustees agreed a further grant to help with our general running costs and to provide part of our trainers'salary in 2007-2008 for which we are most grateful.
Richmond Parish Lands Charity We have also been grateful to Richmond Parish Lands Charity for paying for push-bars for our warehouse doors. This will enable us to keep the doors closed and help us save on our heating bills. Richmond Parish Lands charity continue to support us with core funding.
Richmond Council have agreed to continue funding us and provide us with accommodation.
Grant Direct have agreed a grant of £3393 this financial year.
We are most grateful to The Barnes Workhouse Fund who have given us a grant of £4,100
We have also received a generous grant of £5000 from Hilden Trust"
Richmond Housing Partnership continue to be generous with their funding and support.This year they have given us £5000 towards our training project.They also refer a number of tenants to the scheme.
LBRuT in conjunction with Connexions have given us a grant of £4000; Richmond Churches Housing Trust kindly gave us £2000 towards our training project. and BA have recently agreed a grant of £1832 to assist us with materials and equipment which will enable us to offer our trainees a range of new training opportunities. The Rotary has recently provided new equipment for the workshop - for which we are most grateful.
Though delighted for Jonathan Barnes, our warehouse worker, that he has found full time employment elsewhere, we will miss him. We all wish him well. John Vosper will also be leaving paid employment but has kindly agreed to volunteer on Mondays. We are most grateful to both John and Jonthan for their help and commitment to the Furniture Scheme. We have been fortunate in finding excellent volunteers to help us- Linda Miller and Sheila Cox continue to support us.
We frequently seek the voluntary help of David Dewan, who has generously given of his time to sort out the endless computer problems we have had.
Gayle Rookie has given us a great deal of support with our two data bases which enables us to monitor our work closely; Coral Cleaver has helped by setting up and running an e-bay account for the scheme; Andie Dill helps with the young trainees; Carmela Hinckley helps promote our services to local chruches. For all this invaluable help we are most grateful. We are fortunate in recently recruiting Richard Camp and Maryam Shahid to help us with our Saturday openingsAs always our local neighbours have been supportive and helpful.
Our trainees have all worked hard. Francis Gleeson has recently started a full time course and has sadly left us. We have been grateful for all his hard work and contribution.
We also have a team of excellent self employed carriers who work closely with our workers to ensure that the service we provide is efficient. With the support of workers, volunteers,donors, trustees, grant givers and above all service users and their referrers we are able to meet and often exceed our targets year on year and offer an increasingly efficient service.
Since July 2006 we have started working more flexibly,no longer working to appointments.Though our primary purpose is to help those people suffering hardship We are now open between 10 a.m to 3 p.m Mondays to Thursdays to both referred clients and members of the public. We have decided to do this to:
1. help us increase the rotation of furniture in and out of the warehouse so we reuse more and reduce the amount going to landfill
2. help us generate some much-needed funds to keep going
.Updated May 2008