BORDON charity Furniture Helpline supports the community in many ways, but it too needs a hand from time to time.
Primarily, the charity helps people on low incomes or in crisis situations.
The charity’s aim is to provide free and affordable household furniture and white goods and to reduce such items going to landfill.
To recycle, its helpers collect good quality donated furniture items from residents, which are then offered for resale at low prices or free of charge to people in need.
Additionally, working with the Bordon Liphook Haslemere Charity, Furniture Helpline provides furniture and white goods to people in crisis and has its own crisis fund to help those further afield in need.
In order to raise more money, the charity collects bulky waste items for Guildford Borough Council four days a week for a fee, which then funds the work it does in the community.
Another way Furniture Helpline helps local people is by linking with FareShare and acting as a local hub for the distribution of good-quality food, donated by shops to 12 organisations, such as lunch clubs, food banks and day centres like Vokes Lunch Club in Alton, Grayshott Day Centre and the Bordon Garrison Pre-school and Creche.
At Furniture Helpline’s headquarters at Hampshire House, in Hampshire Road, there is now a workshop funded by Hampshire County Council allowing re-use and woodworking enthusiasts to repair furniture or work on their own projects. At present it is being used just one day a week by the Woolmer Men’s Shed, but anyone who wants to potter, create or upcycle, either an individual or group would be most welcome.
Above all, Furniture Helpline is always looking for people who can help at its warehouse in Bordon. They are looking for practical volunteers who would be happy to spend an hour or two assembling donated flat-pack furniture, rebuilding items for display or restoring old furniture. With two vans working to collect and deliver each week, they would also welcome either drivers or willing helpers.
Operations manager Diane Page said: “We always welcome people willing to join our busy team in Bordon. The more volunteers we have the more we are able to serve the community.”
For more details, e-mail [email protected], call 01420 489000, or visit furniturehelpline.co.uk.