New 'Reuse' shop opens at Sunderland’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre turning unwanted items into bargains instead of waste

Most of Sunderland’s household waste is used to generate electricity for the National Grid through a high-tech burning process.

But the new REUSE shop, at the centre in Pallion, has already saved more than nine tonnes of household items, clothing, toys and more since it opened late last year.

‘The environment is a key priority for our residents’

Now the shop, which is being operated by the St Vincent De Paul Society charity, has been officially opened with a ceremony today, Friday, March 3.

Coun Claire Rowntree, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Clean, Green City at Sunderland City Council and Ian O' Hara, Head of Business Development at the St Vincent De Paul Society were joined by Springboard trainee Brandon Longworth, who is on work experience at the shop, to cut the ribbon.

The official opening comes just over a year after the council opened the £5million plus state-of-the-art Pallion Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

The new centre replaced the previous one in Beach Street and was designed to provide bigger and better household waste and recycling facilities and make it easier for residents to recycle and dispose of their waste. "It's brilliant to see clothes, toys and household items that people no longer have a use for being recycled and resold at affordable prices rather than going to energy from waste,” said Cllr Rowntree.

"It means that anyone having a clear-out can bring things they no longer need or have room for, instead of just throwing them out. It's also a real boon for people looking to pick up decent quality items at affordable prices.

"We know the environment is a key priority for our residents and this is a welcome addition to the recycling facilities already have on offer.”

"I'm also delighted that we're partnering with the St Vincent De Paul Society and benefitting from their expertise in this area as part of our ongoing drive to make Sunderland a clean green city."

Prices at the reuse shop are kept deliberately low to ensure a high turnover of stock and the vast majority of clothes sell for just £1 an item which means they're sold and replenished quickly.

Opening hours

The shop accepts and sells a wide range of items including clothes, books, DVDs, electricals, toys, homeware, furniture and lots of quirky items. It also a small garden centre.Elizabeth Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of the St Vincent de Paul Society, said: "This new shop offers local people the opportunity to donate unwanted items, extending their life cycle, creates employment and helps to address local poverty through providing affordable goods.

"It also generates vital income for our work. Collaborations such as this benefit the local community and represent positive action in the fight against climate change and build a better world for everyone. We are very proud of this new venture and look forward to its growth and future success."

The shop is open seven days a week to shop or donate from 9.30 am until 4.30 pm and there is no need for a permit to shop or donate. For more information visit: www.sunderland.gov.uk/revive-sunderland