Tayside Upcycling and Craft Centre is on a mission to save furniture from landfill. But it is running out of space to do so.
The showroom and workshop in Errol, nicknamed the TUCC shop, is bursting at the seams.
Since opening in August 2020, founder Alfie Iannetta, upcycling champion Sarah Peterson and other local crafters have saved over 11 tonnes of furniture from going into landfill.
And Alfie has another 12 tonnes in storage.
“I wish we could take more furniture,” he says.
“I’m having to pay for offsite storage. The site we rent is just full to the gunnels.
“The one thing that’s holding us back is lack of storage space for furniture.
“If there’s any local land owners with sheds or an old hanger or a farmer with a shed, we could use it.”
Community hub for local makers
The TUCC shop provides a space for local artisans to sell their upcycled creations and make a living from their craft.
Sarah, originally a glass designer, started upcycling furniture at home and soon realised there was a market for her bespoke pieces.
She was headhunted for the BBC’s Money for Nothing programme and soon got requests from people to take their old furniture.
Her husband Alfie helped in the shop, Sarah’s Attic, and he formed an idea of a community interest company for local makers.
The TUCC shop received a start-up grant of £5,000 from Firstport and a small group of makers joined Alfie and Sarah’s adventure.
Alfie says: “We had a team that came in with us, so they shared some of the cost.
“The start-up grant took such a weight off my shoulders, knowing that I had that money there.
“And really from then it’s just gone from strength to strength.”
Upcycling at home
In the shop, next to Inchmichael Garage by the A90, 21 different artisans now stock their creations.
Alfie estimates that around 50 people visit their shop every day.
“Well over 1000 different customers have bought things from here, I know that because I keep a book,” he says.
As well as stocking furniture and decorations, the TUCC shop has everything needed for an at-home upcycling project.
By providing the tools and advice needed to take something on at home, Alfie hopes to save more furniture from being binned.
They also have workshops planned for the spring.
Alfie says: “We’ve got everything, as it’s important that we encourage other people to have a go themselves.
“The age group 30-and-under are just so into it and very confident about what they do.
“I feel a lot more enthused, about the 30s and under, just about how much they care.
“They’re coming here and they put their money where their mouth is and they make a difference.
“If we inspire, and I know we do, someone to go and do it themselves, then great.”
TUCC shop apprentice
The TUCC shop is currently in the process of taking on an upcycling apprentice.
Alfie says: “Sarah has so many skills that she could pass on to them, I’ve got lots of skills that I could pass on to them from the front house point of view.”
Alfie’s ambition is to eventually open an upcycle and craft centre in every corner of the country.
He has already given advice to others on how to set up a similar project to the TUCC shop.
“It’d need to be with the community and upcycling at his heart,” he says.
“I genuinely believe that this is something we should be doing everywhere.
“We measure our success on the amount furniture and items we stop from going to landfill.
“The other way we’re going to measure our success is by how many artisans are now making a living that didn’t before.
“The next stage for me would be how many more volunteers we could engage and create new jobs as well for some kids.”