Redundant council workers celebrate first year as a co-operative

A service supporting art, play and education is celebrating its first birthday.

PEARLS, based on the Globe Park industrial estate in Rochdale, has been running for one year as a co-operative.

Back in April 2010 the resource centre and scrap store, which sells low-cost art and educational supplies and scrap materials donated by local businesses for craft purposes, changed from the Rochdale Borough Council-run Rochdale Play Resource Centre into a co-operative.

Tina Wright, one of the directors at PEARLS, explains: “Last year we were facing redundancy when the council made the decision to close the resource centre. We knew there was a real need for this service and so decided to run it ourselves.

“We’ve had a successful first year, which has seen us be able to work not only in Rochdale but across the whole of Greater Manchester too. Recently, we’ve opened a second branch in Bury, thanks to teaming up with the furniture charity RE>BUILD.

“It has been hard work and as we embark on our second year in business we’ve got even more challenges ahead of us. We don’t receive funding and so need to be able to pay rent and staff wages.

“We’ve been extremely grateful to the support we’ve received from our members and the businesses we’ve worked with.”

Not only does PEARLS work with the community but its scrap store’s motto ‘Don’t throw away, give it to play’, has helped local businesses divert over 50 tonnes of reusable items away from landfill and into art and crafts.

Ms Wright added: “We’re passionate about reuse and recycle. Businesses can make a real difference, both to the environment and the communities around them, by diverting and donating the materials they have no use for anymore to PEARLS. And it doesn’t cost the companies a penny.”

To mark the birthday milestone PEARLS is hosting a number of opening evenings. These will take place on June 28 (for teachers, youth workers and those who work in educational establishments), June 29 (childminders, community groups and individual arts and crafters) and June 30 (nursery workers and other childcare providers) between 4.00pm and 8.00pm.

Booking is advisable for the craft sessions. To book, contact PEARLS on 01706 861 811, email info@pearlscoop.co.uk.

The events will be held at PEARLS headquarters at Units 14-15 Globe Park, Moss Bridge Road, Rochdale, OL16 5EB.