OUR CHARITY
Dorset Scrapstore is a
not for profit charity which relies on donations, grant funding and the efforts of a team of dedicated volunteers in order to exist.
Money from the sale of materials is put back into our operating costs, such as shop rent, salaries of our part-time employees, and the cost of running our van.
We are governed by a Board of Trustees drawn from industry, education and the voluntary sector.
History
The charity started in 1999 with the first Scrapstore opening in September 2000 at Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester. We then moved to Puddletown until April 2016. After building up our customer base on the west side of Dorset we opened a second branch in Poole in November 2010.
A couple of years later, the Poole store was forced to relocate to The Factory Studios in Boscombe when Remploy ceased operations due to government cuts. Business boomed during our stay in Boscombe but after 3½ years we were asked to find a new home due to vital building renovations.
In April 2016 we moved back to the same building we came from in Alder Hills, Poole! Since we left, it has been extensively renovated by BCHA into a social enterprise hub called The Factory
and this has been our home ever since.
In December 2018 we extended the store and we now have a much larger and better suited space for the Scrapstore.
After deciding to close our Puddletown store, we increased our Poole opening hours which has made it much more accessible and user-friendly.
Our move has been very well received by new and existing members alike and we are looking forward to our most successful trading period ever!
The Environment
At Dorset Scrapstore we encourage the whole community to reduce waste, reuse items, and recycle, by promoting environmental awareness and creativity.
We are always really happy to teach people - especially children - about recycling and the environment – if you’d like to plan a visit or find out more, please Contact Us
Making Recycling Easy
We make it easy for local businesses to recycle their unwanted or end-of-line materials by donating to our Scrapstore.
We offer a FREE collection service and accept a large range of materials.
If you’re a business that wishes to donate – or if you would like to recommend a company to us please see our
Donate page
Helping Us
We are always excited to hear from people who would like to support the store through
donating time or expertise.
So please drop us a line and see how you can get involved!
We Celebrate Creativity
The creative spirit of our Community knows no boundaries. Members’ ideas and projects inspire us. Sharing crafting knowledge is one of the wonderful benefits of our Charity; it’s fun and highly satisfying and our Staff and Volunteers enthusiastically share our own creative skills.
We Encourage Curiosity
Exploring the Store and attending our Workshops provides a great outlet for our Members’ inquiring minds. Their desire for knowledge about crafting and inventive ways to use materials is both sparked and satisfied. Our Staff and Volunteers ask questions and gather information to ensure we are serving our community to the best of our ability.
We Value Everyone’s Contribution
The magic of Dorset Scrapstore is created through the combined brilliance of our Members, Staff, Volunteers, Trustees, Suppliers and Partners. Their individuality and diverse perspectives and skills contribute to the success and development of our Charity.
We Support Community Sustainability
Our long-established Store concept provides a facility for industrial and other waste materials to be reused rather than thrown into landfill, benefiting our Suppliers and the Community. Our Members use our materials rather than buying new, which is affordable and sustainable, as we offer materials at low cost to help support the Community to achieve its goals.
Everyone is a Customer
Our members benefit from our strong customer service ethic. Individual Members, Schools, Colleges, Universities, Clubs, Societies and other Charities, as well as the wider Community across Dorset are beneficiaries of our services. We do our utmost to provide the highest quality service in all of our dealings with internal and external customers.
tons of waste saved from landfill
247
carbon offset equivalent in trees
41,729
people using DorsetScrapstore each week
696
years of recycling scrap
23
Volunteering at Dorset Scrapstore makes me feel good to help others realise they can make pretty things and I enjoy meeting amazing people."
Mikala
I was really inspired by all the creative ideas and possibilities within the Scrapstore
Elaine
Registered in England | Company Number 3870643 | Registered Charity Number 1081569
*Statistics taken from 'A Guide to our Impact Measurement and Funding Statistics' (2017)
