After nearly fifteen years of trading, the company which runs a number of projects including the Bodmin based furniture reuse shop: RE:SOURCE, is now facing the threat of potential closure.

The organisation has worked incredibly hard over the last five years to move from dependency on Government grants to a position where over 90% of its turnover is from either self generated income or competitive contracts.  This achievement helped them to gain the Best Third Sector Business at the 2011 Cornwall Business Awards and a short-listing for Best Social Enterprise in England.

Chief Executive Jon Rolls has highlighted a number of contributing factors to their current situation which have created what he calls a “perfect storm” and resulted in the company undertaking a period of redundancy consultation with all of their staff.

“The worsening economy has had a negative effect on the retail sector and this has extended to our own furniture reuse shop.  Also, due to the change in Government two of our successful training contracts were brought to a premature end and new contracting policy has made it difficult for us to compete against larger national organisations.”

Jon continued:

“A Payment by Results approach from Government which means that we could be working on a contract for 6 – 12 months before receiving payment necessitates a high level of cashflow, which many small businesses would find difficult to cope with.”

The organisation currently employs 24 staff and approximately 50 volunteers, many of whom depend on their time at the company to help them find their way back into employment, gain confidence or just give structure to their day.

One volunteer who has been at the company for nearly four years said:

“It is heartbreaking, I love going there as I am able to do the type of work that I trained to do before getting ill.  I have done volunteering before but there is nowhere like ReZolve and I don’t know what I am going to do without it.”

The company also offers a free collection service for unwanted household furniture and appliances which are sold in the Bodmin shop.  This activity not only diverts a significant amount of waste from landfill but also gives the local community the chance to buy affordable furniture, a vital service in these times of austerity.

Jon commented:

“When you look around the shop and warehouse, at all the items that have been donated to us and the fantastic quality of the majority of pieces, it is devastating to think that soon it will all end up in landfill or be crushed for recycling.  The hardest part of this whole process is the knowledge that that the services that we currently provide will no longer be available.”

Jon advised that he is currently talking to partners about what can be done to save the organisation and is keen to hear from anyone who feels that they can offer a solution.

If you have a question about this process click here to find our responses.  if you can’t find the answer to your question ring us on 01208 265930.  To read a blog on the subject by one of Directors Phillip Ward click here

Peter Lamble is a partner at South West based solicitors Coodes.  Peter deals with all aspects of employment law. He acts for both employers and employees dealing with non-contentious drafting, advice and assistance as well as contentious matters in Employment Tribunals, the County Court, High Court and Employment appeals tribunal.  As a growing social enterprise with 29 staff and over 50 active volunteers Peter’s expertise will be invaluable to ReZolve.

Phillip Ward joins ReZolve from out of county bringing with him a wealth of experience within the world of waste.  Phillip retired as a Director of WRAP in 2011; previously he had 30 years experience working in Government holding a number of senior positions including: Director of Local Government Performance in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Principal Finance Officer for the Department of Transport Local Government and the Regions; Director of Energy Environment and Waste in DETR; and Director of Construction Sponsorship and Private Secretary to three Secretaries of State in the then Department of the Environment.

Jackie May has become the third Executive Director on the Board in the position of Finance Director.  A Chartered Management Accountant with a background in charities, education and manufacturing, Jackie joined the company in 2009. Since joining the company Jackie has been instrumental in implementing robust financial reporting mechanisms and has helped steer the company towards self sufficiency.

Judy Proctor, is an Area Environment Manager aross Devon and Cornwall for the Environment Agency.She has a broad background in environmental regulation across water quality, water resources and waste.  A key aspect of this is ensuring that we work in partnership to safeguard our rivers, seas, wildlife and ecosystems and importantly to minimise waste.
Judy is very active in the county, and currently chairs Environment Kernow: its environmental partnership, sits on the Local Management Committee, which monitors the outcomes we gain from convergence funding, and sits on the advisory committee for Be Clear About Carbon, which helps private and public sector businesses understand how they can reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time.

Philip Rees, Chairman of ReZolve said:

“We are delighted to welcome four such highly experienced individuals to the ReZolve Board.  We are confident that their unique perspectives and valued input will help ReZolve to continue to strengthen its position in the market and achieve continued growth.”

ReZolve which has had an incredibly successful 18 months including being shortlisted for Social Enterprise of the Year in England, winning the Best Third Sector Award in the Cornwall Business Awards and making the Royal Bank of Scotland list of the top 100 growing Social Enterprises, hopes to continue its upward trajectory by maintaining its core projects such as reuse centre RE:SOURCE and by introducing new projects such as the Bike Hub.

Cornish bike enthusiast Shane is a sports enthusiast with a particular passion for cycling.  Shane spent ten and a half years in the forces as a PT instructor and has subsequently run successful sports programmes aimed at young offenders and people facing addictions.

Shane has joined ReZolve to develop their new bike recycling project which will give local people the opportunity to get first-hand experience of working in the cycling industry, learning maintenance and mechanical skills to help save bikes from landfill and provide affordable bikes to the local community.

Working closely with Cornwall College, the Bike Hub will be offering accredited bike maintenance qualifications, alongside the practical skills needed to get employment in an industry that services the country’s second fastest growing sport.

As well as time in the workshop, Bike Hub recruits will get the opportunity to go out on bike rides, learn cycling and riding skills and find out about the nutrition and health aspects of the sport.  There will also be opportunities to gain experience in related jobs such as retail, warehousing, administration and marketing.

The Bike Hub is particularly keen to welcome young people who are currently not in employment or training but Shane stressed that the project is open to all:

“Cycling is a shoe that fits anyone and the Bike Hub will be open to all abilities and ages.  To have the opportunity to work towards getting qualified to work in the cycling industry is unheard of in Cornwall.”

The project will be based at ReZolve’s warehouse facility RE:STORE in Bodmin, in a dedicated workshop area which will also include a social space for people working on the project.

Shane is now eager to hear from anyone who is keen to get involved with the Bike Hub and is also ready to take bike donations.  He explained:

“The Bike Hub is all about creating real opportunities for young people in the local bike industry and so we will be contacting organisations to be part of a Bike Hub Network, linking employers with young people to give them the experience they need to move on and helping employers to find talented young bike enthusiasts.”

New partners are joining all the time and Job Centre Plus is supporting the Bike Hub through their Work Club initiative which will help the project achieve its aims.

The Bike Hub hope to have reconditioned bikes ready to sell from October and these will be made available from RE:SOURCE furniture and appliance centre on Bodmin Business Park.

To find out more about the project follow Shane’s blog:  http://rezolvebikehub.blogspot.com/, send him an email: shane.arthur@rezolve.org.uk or give him a call on 01208 269071

The company which currently operates from three sites based in Bodmin will be consolidating down to two.  Staff currently based at the ReZolve office in Callywith Gate Industrial Estate will now be located at the RE:SOURCE and RE:STORE premises.

Jon Rolls, Chief Executive of ReZolve, said:

“This is a positive move for ReZolve which we hope will allow us to increase retail space and customer support at RE:SOURCE plus move all of our logistic operations to RE:STORE.”

Jon added

“It will also see our training team located at RE:STORE along with important partners such as Devon & Cornwall Probation Trust, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Youth Offending Service, Devon & Cornwall  Alcohol Action Team and Devon & Cornwall Police, who are all co-located at RE:STORE.”

The award winning social enterprise has used the opportunity to review all of its current services, including seeking feedback from its service users, to see how things can be improved in order to ensure that the organisation continues to offer popular services, such as their furniture reuse shop, to the highest possible standard.

Jon concluded:

“The move just makes sense for us on so many levels; we will be able to increase our output, streamline all of our activities and lower our impact on the environment.”

The move will take place from 25^th – 31^st August and although all phone numbers will remain the same the company warn that they anticipate disruption to their phone service for up to a month following the move and advise people to email in the first instance.

As staff will be actively involved in the move process there maybe some delay in getting back to requests during this period and ReZolve appreciate your patience during this time.

RE:SOURCE will be open as normal during this period but closed for the bank holiday.

From 30^th August ReZolve’s registered office and contact address for ReZolve, RE:SOURCE, Go Real, Fresk, Finance and Recruitment will be:

ReZolve, RE:SOURCE Centre, Bodmin Business Park, Launceston Road, Bodmin, PL31 2RJ

The Environmental Skills Network and ReZolve Skills can be reached at:

RE:STORE, 3 Lucknow Road, Walker Lines Industrial Estate, Bodmin, PL31 1EZ.

Real Nappies are well designed, made from modern fabrics that dry quickly and absorb where they need to.   Real Nappies are easy and efficient to use and are also good for the environment as they cut down on the amount of disposable nappies we are currently sending to landfill.   Financially our clients are also better off by up to £500, and if the same nappies are used for later siblings parents can hope to double that saving.

RE:SOURCE will have lots of brand new stock and preloved items for sale including big brand names like Bambino Mio, Lollipop and Tots Bots.   Prices will range from as little as £1 up to £6.

There will also be staff from Go Real, The Real Nappy Information Service on hand to offer help or advice for current and first time users of Real Nappies.

So the conclusion is: shiny and smooth new skin, as it should be and as nature intended! So therefore with a Go Real Nappy, you’ve got a baby that’s happy!

This story was written by one of our volunteers: Martin Warne

The Enterprise Club is for people who are 16 years or older and who are currently unemployed, or employed for less than16 hours a week, and interested in becoming Self Employed.
The club will give people who want to set up their own businesses the chance to share experiences and access professional advice that they might not otherwise be able to afford.  The Club will also assist those people who have just started their own small business.

Cynthia Thomas, The Training Partnerships Manager for ReZolve Skills, who set up the Cornwall Enterprise Club said:

“New businesses represent the future of our economy, so we need to make sure that unemployed people with a good idea get the support they need to move into self-employment.”

“New entrepreneurs and small business owners in Cornwall will be able to swap ideas and talk to guest speakers including people from successful local businesses.”

The clubs will be held in the following Cornish Towns:

Bodmin     –     Mondays, 13.00 – 15.00pm
Launceston     –     Wednesdays, 10.00am – 12.00pm
Liskeard     –     Wednesdays 13.30 – 16.00pm
Penzance      –     Thursdays 10.00am – 12.00pm
St Austell      –     Tuesdays 10.00am  -  12.00pm
Truro         –     Fridays, 10.00am – 12.00pm

If you would like to find out more information about the Cornwall Enterprise Club, attend or find out how you or your company could get involved in it, please contact Dianne Allard on 01208 265934 or email diane.allard@rezolveskills.org.uk

The plea comes as the first nappy recycling plant is due to open in West Bromwich this summer and with the announcement of further plants to come.

Go Real, which promotes the use of washable or “Real Nappies” as the most environmentally friendly nappy option and the most cost effective for parents and Waste Disposal Authorities claim that the move to introduce nappy recycling to the UK goes against the principles of the recently published Waste Review which placed significant focus on waste prevention.

Chief Executive Jon Rolls said:

“The Waste Review gave a clear priority to waste reduction and in particular Life Cycle thinking.  We are concerned that an independent Life Cycle Assessment has not been carried out for nappy recycling.”

Go Real advocate that Real Nappies are the most favourable option when considered against the waste hierarchy and in terms of the potential for parents to lower their environmental impact.  This claim is supported by the findings of the Environment Agency Lifecycle Assessment Report 2008.

Jon went on to say:

“Whilst we welcome innovative ideas and technologies that form part of the waste management hierarchy, they do need to be independently verified if public money is to support them.”

Go Real and the Nappy Alliance feel that there is more to be done  in promoting Real Nappies as a viable alternative to disposable nappies.  Recent research carried out by Go Real has shown that nearly 50% of women would consider using Real Nappies should they be expecting a baby, yet misconceptions around how difficult Real Nappies are to use and their effectiveness keeps participation rates relatively low.

Guy Schanschieff, Chair of the Nappy Alliance commented:

“The messages are fairly simple and easy to convey but we have been hampered by misleading reports which have put pressure on Local Authorities to move away from promoting Real Nappies instead of continuing to deliver a consistent message and support for parents.”

Go Real also point out that as long as Local Authorities do not offer nappy recycling as part of their waste management services only parents who can afford the service on top of their council tax will be able to benefit from the scheme.

Existing collection services are charging over £300 for their cheapest service over a two and a half year period and this cost comes on top of buying the disposable nappies in the first place which is a considerable cost to parents.  On the other hand parents are able to buy all the Real Nappies that they would need for £250, save approximately £500 when compared to using disposable nappies and be able to use these nappies on subsequent children.

Jon Rolls concluded:

“We believe that the promotion of Real Nappies should be the first priority for tackling disposable nappy waste and maintain that nappy recycling should only be considered as part of an integrated waste management plan which encourages waste reduction and reuse before recycling or disposal.”

The RBS SE100 Index, which is in its second year, was set up the Royal Bank of Scotland and Social Enterprise to build intelligence and monitor performances of social enterprises in the UK.

The 2011 data report showed that despite the current economic situation social enterprises are growing faster than the rest of the UK economy with the top 100 enterprises growing on average by 91% as compared to 79% the previous year.

Social enterprise is all about delivering successful, economically viable businesses that also deliver a social and often environmental impact.  Therefore, the RBS SE100 also measures impact and South West enterprises were leading the way with a higher than average impact score.

Bodmin based ReZolve, run a number of projects which have environmental and social aims including their highly successful furniture reuse store: RE:SOURCE.  Making it on to the SE100 index crowns a list of achievements, gained in the past 18 months, which included securing the Social Enterprise Mark, being shortlisted for Social Enterprise of the year in England and being awarded Best Third Sector Business in the Cornwall Business Awards.

Chief Executive Jon Rolls said:

“It has been a tremendous 18 months but not without its challenges.  Like every business the current economy has forced us to look at how we can become more resilient, but that is always considered alongside our key objectives of making a difference to our environment and the local community.”

The Cornwall Sustainable Tourism project, also a Social Enterprise Mark holder, has been leading the field in sustainable tourism for 8 years and has over 1,400 members across Cornwall and, increasingly, internationally.  The CoaST project has worked with tourism providers to help them adopt sustainable business models in order to safeguard the local environment that the industry relies upon.

Chief Executive Manda Brookman commented:

“The CoaST members are prime examples of the triple bottom line in action, with our Ambassadors leading the way in positive deviance – enabling tourism to become an agent of change for good. They deserve every effort we can make to help them encourage social and environmental investment with every business decision they make – and this listing is testament to their efforts.”
Several other Cornish social enterprises also made the list including Pentreath, The Eden Project, The National Lobster Hatchery and Catch a Wave CIC UK.

Jon Rolls said:

“It is fantastic to see social enterprise doing so well within the county and we enjoy working in partnership with these organisations.  Our recognition of the benefits of partnership and willingness to work together is one of the great strengths of the sector.”

For more information on the RBS SE100 visit: www.socialenterpriselive.com/se100 .  Further information on ReZolve can be found at www.rezolve.org.uk and for CoaST www.coastproject.co.uk

The award winning Social Enterprise which provides affordable reused furniture and appliances to the local community, is currently undergoing a complete redesign of all its workshop spaces to provide much greater capacity for the future.

In a bid to increase efficiency and further lower environmental impacts, the electrical workshops will be redesigned, enabling the company to gear up their processes to increase the amount of appliances that they are taking out of the waste stream.

Chief Executive Jon Rolls explained:

“Currently all our logistic operations take place at our Walker Lines facility and so it makes sense to increase our reworking capacity there.  By doing this we will be able to improve our service to customers by increasing our retail space for reusable items, broadening the range of brands and products available to customers and ensuring that more waste is diverted from landfill.”

Jon explained that the move had not been prompted by the recent news on recalled Beko products:

“The recalled Beko products were manufactured between 2000 and 2006 and as we started selling Beko warranty returns in 2008 there is very little chance of RE:SOURCE customers being affected.  We’ve had just 2 customers affected and they have been visited by our engineer who has ensured that the appliances are in safe working order and all other concerned customers have received advice and reassurance.”

Jon added:

“We’ve been planning changes to our operations for months and strongly believe that the move to review our workshop design will be a positive step and will put us in position to provide a much wider range of household appliances from a broader choice of brands than we have previously been able to offer.  In fact the Beko recall has only served to remind us all that in such a fast paced industry we need to have great systems and processes and has confirmed that this is the perfect time for us to review everything we do.”

Jon stated that whilst the organisation is undergoing this process, availability of household appliances could be affected in the short term but was eager to reassure customers that steps have been put in place to minimise any shortage of product.  He said:

“RE:SOURCE is still very much open for business and we look forward to continuing to supply our valued customers with a wide range of products including sofas, wardrobes, beds and other furniture.  We also still expect to be able to supply customers with good quality refurbished white goods but advise customers to check our website or phone 01208 269296 for updates on current and incoming stock.“

The event, organised regionally by Cornwall College’s Vaughan Curnow, aimed to spark interest in engineering in an exciting and unique way, took place at Newquay Airport on 23rd June 2011.

At the 2010 event ESN had sponsored local primary school, St Mewn, to take part and race in the event by purchasing them an electric kit car.  ESN and Cornwall College also siezed the opportunity to hold their ‘Bright Green’ event alongside the activities, aimed at getting local environmental businesses involved with young people to enthuse and inspire their interest in environmental technology and careers.

This year ESN worked with Cornwall Learning’s Sustainability Co-ordinator & STEM Advisor, Rachel Delourme, in an effort to provide an interactive, ‘hands-on’ event.  The numerous environmental businesses that make up the membership of ESN helped to capture the children’s interest in the environment, sustainability and possible environmental careers.  There was a drive to make all the stands truly interactive and activities included using a wave hub model to generate power in a water bath and making a cob wall.

ESN also sponsored and made available  a collection of portable science sets designed to encourage active discovery based learning for all ages.  The sets gave students the opportunity to explore scientific phenomena through a collection of stimulating and engaging mini-exhibits.  The sets covered topics such as Energy, Forces and Structures along with resource material for teachers and students which encouraged students to see the links between the science they were exploring and real-world applications.

The excitement, enthusiasm and activities of the whole day made it a great success for all!