Charities fearing eviction from a shared warehouse in Dundee have been saved as part of plans to create a permanent hub.
Tayside Furniture Re-use Network (TFRN), also a registered charity, will take on the lease of the former Levi’s building on Dunsinane Avenue after Sangobeg complete its purchase.
It means foodbank Taught by Muhammad (TBM), and the Lochee Community Group, who both feared they would be kicked out, will get a cut-price rate to sublet.
‘Long term’ plan
One of TFRN’s trustees, Gary Gallacher says he hopes the plan will give the city’s third sector a boost.
He said: “We wanted to do this for the Hilltown Indoor Market before it burned down (in 2018). So we’ve just been searching for the right premises ever since.
“The plan is to create a charity hub and let these expand and thrive. We want to get more charities in and utilise the space better.
“It was never our intention for any of the groups in there just now to have to leave.
“It was just to create something useful to better utilise the building and space.
“Rather than just using it for storage purposes, we want to do something more.
“We want this to be there long-term.”
TFRN diverts unwanted furniture and white goods away from landfill and refurbishes them.
It then sells these on at a cut-price rate to people on low income or benefits.
Some of the charity’s ideas include setting up a furniture repair workshop and organising classes for upscaling furniture for people with disabilities and to improve mental health.
The building will be given a makeover with new LED lighting to improve energy efficiency as well as roof repairs, and painting.
Mr Gallacher added any charities or community groups looking to lease space in the building should contact info@tfrn.co.uk.
TBM is part of the Yusuf Youth Initiative (YYI), which runs several other community outreach projects.
Its CEO Faisal Hussein says he is relieved to arrange a six-month lease, bringing clarity to volunteers, staff, and service users.
He added: “They have big plans and the building will need a cash injection but it will be great if they can deliver.”