Work starts on Cheltenham’s first permanent sustainability centre

Reuse Network member, Vision 21, has started work on Cheltenham’s first permanent sustainability centre.

The journey

In 2019, two significant events coincided. The UK Government declared an Environment and Climate Emergency and Vision 21’s celebrated its 25^th anniversary and looked ahead for the coming 5 years. The Vision 21 Executive recognised that it needed to do more. So, Vision 21 consulted the public and in particular the youth and young adults on their thoughts and feelings. Consequently, in addition to running our regular climate friendly mitigation/adaptation initiatives, two decisions were made, one to use a donation secured by the late Brian Tuckwell (former Reclaim Manager) as the seed-fund to build a community sustainability centre for awareness raising, educational purposes and community use and two, to create the Planet Cheltenham.

The search began for a suitable location and in August 2021 Vision 21 made its first ever purchase of a single storey workshop and yard in the St. Paul’s area of Cheltenham. This area suffers from high levels of deprivation despite being only 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre. So, placing an inspirational building in such an area will help to bring new life to it.

Initially, the idea was to do a two stage renovation on the building, but it soon became apparent that it would be cheaper and more environmentally friendlier to deconstruct the building and re-build it up to modern standards. Fund raising began in earnest, but it has been heavy going as the Pandemic and the Cost of Living crises exacted their toll in terms of inflationary pressures and limiting the focus and the amount of money available for environmental causes.

Vision 21 have sufficient cash to do the renovation work but is still fund raising to fully equip the building, and all donations to Vision 21 Gloucestershire are welcome. Work commenced on the 4^th March with the removal and safe disposal of the asbestos roof. Two of the sides also need to be removed, but we will be able to make use of some of the building’s retained energy, with the retention of two of the walls and the concrete floor.

Vision 21 is planning to make the Eco-Hub as sustainable as we can by using environmentally friendly materials. The building will have two storeys and it will incorporate a rainwater harvesting system, photovoltaic generators with a back-up battery system, a heat pump and plenty of insulation. Upstairs will be an office and meeting area and downstairs will be a crafting/demonstration cum meeting area with a kitchenette and a disabled person’s toilet.

Donate to your local reuse charity

As the cost of living continues to rise, reuse charities need your donations now more than ever to help support low income households. If you have good quality  items to get rid of, including paint, contact your local reuse charity and arrange a collection.