As an increasing number of organisations put in place different ways of working, many are undergoing large clearances. This is resulting in thousands of stationery items, office equipment, and furniture being unearthed.

In response, Warp It is matching the unwanted items with schools, charities, social enterprises and other community interest groups across the UK and further afield.

If you have any large clearances on the horizon be sure to get in touch and we can help. 

Ben Lynch, partnership manager at Warp It, manages the matching service, which is fast-becoming one of the reuse service’s most sought-after features and has seen over £3.7 million worth of assets redistributed for good causes.

Ben said:

“Typically we get around 50 new charities, community groups or schools sign up for the service each month. We have seen a marked increase in interest as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic as many of our members have started organising large-scale clearances resulting it thousands of items becoming available for redistribution.

“It is mainly driven by a move to clear spaces as organisations put in place different ways of working, such as remote and home-based or hotdesking, as part of Covid-19 recovery plans and longer-term sustainability goals.”

Above: unearthed office furniture

The clearances have seen a huge range of items added to the Warp It system for redistribution. Ben explained: “the variety is enormous; the largest item we have redistributed so far has been folding bleacher stands estimated to be worth around £15,000 but we get everything from office desks and chairs, stationery items of all types, folders, paper, office furniture, kitchen equipment, hospital beds, other medical furniture and equipment.

The value of unwanted items claimed by small and micro charities currently stands at £1,596,689 while the amount donated to large charities has reached £2,187,753. Charities that have benefited to date include: The British Heart Foundation; Sylvia Lanka Foundation (SLF); The Kori Development Project; and MedAid.

Above left to right: charities the Kori Development Project and MedAid

The service can also be used by schools, social enterprises, and community groups like the Glasgow-based Cambuslang Allotment Gardens, which revamped its clubhouse with furniture sourced from Warp It; the Walthamstow Stadium Area Residents and Community Association, which successfully organised a stationery appeal for a local school with unwanted items; and not-for-profit organisation Leeds Hackspace, which received a CO2 Laser Cutter from Salford University.

The service has even attracted the interest of a specialist prison squad who needed old and disused furniture to use in its intensive training.

Above: the Cambuslang Allotment Gardens revamped its clubhouse by reusing furniture sourced from Warp It

Ben concluded: “Interest is off the scale, which isn’t surprising given that the reuse system benefits everyone involved. By redistributing unwanted items, it helps organisations to save on the costs associated with sending assets to landfill and contributes to their sustainability plans and lowering their environmental impact.

“Similarly, the charity or school benefits by receiving furniture, equipment, and other items that they need to operate smoothly without having to dip into their limited funding while supporting a circular economy as they are not purchasing new stock. It’s a win-win for everybody involved and, of course, is going a long way to helping to save the planet.”

Find out more about signing up your charity, school or third sector organisation.

Read how to donate your surplus assets to charity on Warp It.

Read this previous interview with Ben.