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The Forest Recycling Project (FRP) in North East London has taken the adage, 'Waste not, want not' to heart, with an innovative online recycling programme that makes the most of household goods that would normally be thrown out with the rubbish.
One of the FRP's most successful recycling schemes, 'Give or Take Day', sees local residents donate unwanted furniture, toys, electrical items, books and other stuff to anyone who wants it - for free. It is a simple way for people to give away things they no longer want and take home things they do.
The FRP applied for an AOL Innovation in the Community Award in 2004 to put Give or Take on the Web, extending the scheme from its monthly event format and making it accessible to people outside of Waltham Forest.
"We realised how useful it would be for people to be able to access a Give or Take scheme from home or from computers at their offices, SureStart centres, or their local community group. Using the drop-down menus on the website, they can quickly see what's available so they don't have to wait for the next Give or Take Day," explains Lisa Donovan of FRP.
"They can also use the website to request items they need, adding a whole new dimension to the Give or Take concept."
Within months of its launch in 2005, the Give or Take website was receiving more than 1,000 hits a day. FRP is blown away by the success of the site, with most items snapped up within two days of being advertised.
Building on this, FRP is developing a section on the website to encourage local businesses to recycle, has taken its recycled computers project online, and is in talks with other local councils about rolling out versions of the website for them.
As Lisa says: "The award has been a real catalyst and has really changed the way we do things for the better."