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“It helps people build up a network of friends to
support them and gets them to understand that
they can be a contributor to the community.
“Feeling you are helping others can be very
powerful in growing someone’s confidence.”
Progression is a favourite word at NCRC and
Kelvin believes that it doesn’t matter where
people start from, they can always progress.
This is the case with both learning and with
mental health progression.
At NCRC they have a five-step scheme for
supporting people with mental health issues.
“We always encourage people to come in and
just have a step one day, even if they were
previously up at step five,” Kelvin explains.
“We just always want them to come in and not
stay at home on their own.
“We are aware that things are not always on an
upwards trajectory and we think people should
be able to come in and work at whatever step
they feel like on any given day, which should
help them cope more in the long run.”
The charity employs 48 people, in a variety
of part-time and full-time roles, and has 324
volunteers currently registered, but they are
always keen to welcome newcomers.
“There are so many ways you can help,” Kelvin
says.
“Donate to us, buy from us, volunteer with us,
or train with us.
“We really are what we say we are. We are
inclusive and people are here because they
all want to help the local community.”
The charity has now secured a 20-year lease
on the current Newbury premises, thanks to
support from the Greenham Common Trust,
meaning it can plan for a secure future and
concentrate on the things that matter –
helping the community it serves.
Individual items reused included:
2,444 tables of all sizes
2,244 dining chairs
1,503 bedside cabinets
1,432 sofas
1,035 bookcases
933 white goods
752 beds
744 bicycles
593 wardrobes
8 pianos
The 5-Step programme aims to support people with mental health issues by allowing them to
progress at their own rate:
Step 1
– This is just getting someone into the NCRC building and out of their own house,
which for many people is a significant first step
Step 2
– Joining in with basic arts and crafts activities
Step 3
– Getting on to the periphery of volunteering by watching others and contributing when
and where they can
Step 4
– Getting involved in volunteering or learning or just spending more time utilising the
skills they already have
Step 5
– The person is involved in regular volunteering and is actively looking for work
Furniture reused in 2016
Number of items Total weight (tonnes)
Furniture
16,504
451.60
Bric-a-brac
31,394
145.21
Children’s items
747
6.25
Bikes
744
10.43
Household items 13,834
46.90
Carpets and flooring 285
2.71
Bedding and curtains 1,873
2.07
Bathroom items
36
0.67
Garden items
131
1.55
Electrical items
2,992
46.80
Total
68,540
714.20
In 2016 the Community Furniture
Project
n
received 14,358 donations
n
had 93,301 customer visits
n
saw 29,622 customer pur-
chases
n
arranged 4,812 collections by
project vehicles
n
made 3,336 deliveries of
furniture
n
recycled 66.69 tonnes of
material