Transcript Slide 1

Aberdeen Forward Ltd
Gillian Marr
Volunteer & Operations Manager
www.aberdeenforward.org
Overview
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Aberdeen Forward background
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Funding
Organisation Structure
Volunteers
Sustainable Communities Centre
Summary of projects
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Master Composter Programme
Aberdeen City Community Composting
Aberdeenshire Community Composting
Composting at Work & Schools
Real Nappy Project
Transition Aberdeen
Creative Waste Exchange
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Volunteering
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Refurbishment Project
Opportunities
Why People Volunteer
Opening times
www.aberdeenforward.org
Aberdeen Forward Background
 Aberdeen Forward is an environmental charity and
emerging social enterprise which initiates and
supports waste minimisation and sustainability
projects around the North East
 Established in 1999
 We work with communities and businesses to
educate and promote projects that help to protect
our environment, reduce waste and encourage
sustainable living
www.aberdeenforward.org
Funding
 Apply to a number of funds including Big Lottery’s
Awards for All, INCREASE, Transforming Waste,
Climate Challenge, Fairer Scotland and Third Sector
 Service Level agreements with Councils
 Raising own funds through sales, sponsorship,
renting out office space, bookable meeting/workshop
rooms, virtual office space and workshops
www.aberdeenforward.org
Sustainable Communities
Centre
 Purchased through landfill tax
 Rent out office space, hot desking and virtual office
facilities
 Social, environmental, well being and arts
information on display from numerous organisations
 Hire of meeting / workshop rooms
 Range of environmental and art workshops and
classes
 Range of good quality, low cost resources available
www.aberdeenforward.org
Volunteers
 Started with Master Composter project in 2003 and
increased with the Eco Challenge
 Centralised the volunteering process with the creation of
the Volunteer & Operation Managers post in 2008
 Have over 105 volunteers working across the projects
 Going through the Investing in Volunteers process
 The Investing in Volunteers scheme is the UK standard for
all organisations which involve volunteers in their work. The
standard enables organisations to comprehensively review
their volunteer management and also publicly demonstrate
their commitment to volunteering
(www.investinginvolunteers.org.uk)
www.aberdeenforward.org
Summary of Projects
 Master Composter Programme
 Aberdeen City Composting Project
 Aberdeenshire Composting Project
 Composting at Work & Schools
 Real Nappy Project
 Transition Aberdeen
 Creative Waste Exchange
 Refurbishment Project
www.aberdeenforward.org
Master Composter Programme
 Recruit and train composting volunteers across
the North East
 Working alongside WRAP to sell discounted
compost bins
 Promote home composting within their own
communities by providing advice, support,
attending events and giving presentations
 About 70 volunteers
www.aberdeenforward.org
Aberdeen City Composting
Project
 Composting garden waste close to where it is
generated
 Based in allotments, community gardens and streets
 Garthdee and Slopefield allotments, Middlefield
Community Garden, Gladstone Place, Gray Street
and Grampian Gardens
www.aberdeenforward.org
Aberdeenshire Community
Composting Project
 Fortnightly kerbside garden waste collection
 Garden waste composted locally in purpose built
facilities
 Based in Peterhead, Methlick, Oldmeldrum, Pitcaple,
Insch, Chapel of Garioch, Aboyne, Banchory,
Drumoak, Inverbervie, Gourdan, Johnshaven and St
Cyrus
www.aberdeenforward.org
Composting at Work & Schools
 Funded by Scottish Executive’s INCREASE
programme and Climate Challenge Fund
 Trains and supports staff in business and schools to
deal with their food residue using an in vessel
compost unit on site
 The organic waste turns to compost which is used
on site as a soil improver
www.aberdeenforward.org
Real Nappy Project
 Encouraging new parents to use real nappies on
their baby
 8 million disposables landfilled daily
 Saves parents money as well as the environment –
about £500 for the first baby
 Covers the Grampian region
 Hold Nappacinos around the North East
 Provide 2 week lend kits to new parents as a try
before you buy incentive
www.aberdeenforward.org
Transition Aberdeen
 Funded by Climate Challenge Fund
 The main aim is to help communities in the city to
take positive steps to reduce their carbon footprint
and their dependency on oil.
 From food production and composting to community
energy schemes and reuse workshops Transition
Aberdeen will show how these small actions can
have a positive effect on the local environment
www.aberdeenforward.org
Creative Waste Exchange
 Collects materials donated by local business and industry
 Materials diverted from landfill
 Sorted, prepared and sold to community groups and
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individuals as a good quality, low cost resource
Began trading November 2005
Businesses donating range from oil related companies
and department stores to furniture makers and joiners to
art galleries and sign makers
Sponsorship/Donation accepted for Joining
Or delivery fee and item charge for one off collections
www.aberdeenforward.org
Materials Accepted
 Office Furniture
 Stationery
 Arts and Craft Resources
 Mounting Card
 Paint
 Fabric
 Cellophane
 And other interesting bits and bobs
 Nothing electrical
www.aberdeenforward.org
Community Members
 Membership is open to schools, university societies,
youth groups, charities, voluntary organisations, art
groups, church groups and individuals
 Benefits of membership, access to the Aladdin’s
Cave of resources, discounted workshops, regular
newsletter and a monthly update
 Annual Membership
 Community Groups
 Individuals
£30 +VAT
£10 +VAT
www.aberdeenforward.org
Refurbishment Project
 An offshoot project of the Creative Waste Exchange
 Repairs/makes good any piece of furniture which
comes in
 Timber headed for landfill is cut down to make fire
wood
 2 new members of staff employed to carry out this
project
www.aberdeenforward.org
Workshops
 10 week upholstery
 6 week back to basics sewing
 Rag rugging
 Knitting
 Recycled Fashion
 Sustainable living
 Gardening for the table
 Ethical Gardening
 And many more to come!
www.aberdeenforward.org
Volunteer Opportunities
 As a charity we depend on volunteers
 Opportunities include
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Warehouse duties
Driving
Data inputting
Running workshops
Attending events and marketing
Helping out on with retail sales on Open Days
Bespoke projects
 CWE teamed up with student volunteers from
University of Aberdeen, RGU and Aberdeen
College for ad hoc volunteering sessions
www.aberdeenforward.org
Volunteering
 Any age, ability and availability
 Volunteers include people with mental health issues,
physically disabled, retired, long term employed,
drug and alcohol problems, graduates from college
and university, secondary school pupils and
environmentally minded people.
www.aberdeenforward.org
Benefits
 Helps the local community and environment
 Helps get into a routine as a work related activity and
which gives people the flexibility to search for
onward employment
 Helps CV’s
 Gain a reference
 Increase skills
 Increase confidence
www.aberdeenforward.org
Why Volunteers Volunteer
 “To help out and give us something to do on a
Monday morning”
 “Because I like to help people and like getting out
to meet people”
 “Help build my confidence”
 “Enjoy being outdoors”
 “Meet new people, learn new skills, doing my bit
for the environment”
 “to gain work experience in an office environment
and to contribute to the community in a positive
way”
www.aberdeenforward.org
Why Volunteers Volunteer
 “Have graduated from Uni with a degree in Sustainable
Development and am looking to gain experience in a
working environment”
 “Develop my skills and experience in Environmental
Management. Promote and create environmental
awareness within the region”
 “Long life interest in saving the planet and a desire to
make a difference, at least locally”
www.aberdeenforward.org
Opening Hours
 Mon, Tues, Wed and Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm
 Thursday 9.30am – 7.30pm
 First Saturday of every month 10am – 2pm
 During the week to buy from the Exchange you need
to be a member
 Anyone can buy on the open Saturdays
www.aberdeenforward.org
Come And Visit Us!
Aberdeen Forward Ltd
2 Poynernook Road
Aberdeen
AB11 5RW
01224 560360
[email protected]
www.aberdeenforward.org
www.aberdeenforward.org