PEARLS crafts a new identity

It’s all change at PEARLS – Rochdale borough’s play, education, arts, reusables and lending service. After 20 years of being part of Rochdale Borough Council it has now become a worker cooperative enabling the centre to expand into other areas to support play, education and child development through arts and crafts.

The centre collects interesting materials and objects from local businesses, which might otherwise be wasted or sent to landfill. These are re-distributed to individuals and groups needing arts and crafts materials - providing low cost resources to assist in child development.

A distinctive feature of PEARLS is its ability to combine these two diverse financial and social benefits to deliver high value services to the community.

Tina Wright, Director of the worker cooperative says: “PEARLS is unique - in this time of recession our members are still going away with trolley loads of great scrap for little cost.

"We’ll be carrying on providing good quality low cost new arts and craft materials and are looking forward to expanding our art and craft workshops; crafty kids, scrap magic and introducing more specialised workshops like jewellery making and leather work.

"Thank you to our members, volunteers, Rochdale Borough Council and Co-operative and Mutual Solutions for their support and help in the transition from council to co-op.”