Forfar based charity, Angus Upcycling Project (AUP) is dedicated to supporting its local communities while also protecting the environment.
Running since 2019, AUP upcycles old pieces of furniture which have been donated by the public, transforms them into unique and beautiful homeware, before selling them on at affordable prices to the community.
In so doing, the charity is reducing the amount of refuse sent to landfills, while also allowing more disadvantaged households to enhance their way of living.
Collaboration with other good causes in the community is extremely important to AUP, and it is a keen member of both Angus Business Connections and Community Resource Network Scotland, which aims for a future with no waste, only resources – an aim synonymous with the work of Angus Upcycling Project.
A wonderful group of volunteers currently work for the charity, enjoying time out of their day to day lives to work on meaningful projects, reaping the therapeutic benefits of working with one’s hands and letting creative juices flow.
The volunteers further benefit from collaborating with other like-minded people from different walks of life. Indeed, the current pandemic has highlighted the importance of human contact when it comes to happiness and personal development, and AUP is lucky enough to have a working space big enough to allow for social distancing, while still being able to speak with people face to face.
As well as restoring furniture themselves, AUP worked with local school children before the pandemic – endorsing healthy relationships across generations and providing useful experience such as the following of instructions and also working on one’s own initiative – and hope to do so again once restrictions ease.
Jeanette, one of the charity’s trustees, said: “I wanted the opportunity to work with younger people who, through using their hands, were able to use their creative minds and obtain satisfaction from working on a piece of furniture that they had created ready for re-sale, adding value to their education.
“It’s [rewarding] to see them being able to socialise and gain intergenerational opportunities.”
You can view the latest selection of transformed homeware on the Angus Upcycling Project Facebook page.
It is not just upcycling furniture about which AUP is passionate, however. The charity is a member of FareShare, working with others in the community to provide food donations to those in need, as well as being the drop off location for the Hasbro toys and games recycling project.
AUP is currently working alongside Dew Products – a company dedicated to providing cleaning products which are kinder to the environment – and stock a range of their products and refills. The charity can also supply Fairtrade produce to its community, thanks to its work with the Forfar Fairtrade Forum. Contact AUP to request any Fairtrade produce you fancy.
The charity’s most recent project is a clothing bank which will allow pre-loved clothes to be used by others. If you would like to make a donation of garments or clothing rails, visit the AUP Facebook page.
For more information on the many projects and services offered by AUP, contact the charity on 07594223596, or email angusupcycling@gmail.com.
