Press releases 2007

Help local textiles group go from rags to riches

19th June 2007

Are you looking for a unique gift that will make your friends green with envy? Look no further than the Alabaré Christian Care Centres online shop.

The shop, accessed via Alabaré’s main website (www.alabare.co.uk), now stocks a range of unique ‘Mad About Green’ hand-made recycled cushions and bags.

Mad About Green is a textile and craft group run by Alabaré Christian Care Centres for people with mental health issues.  They give old clothing, fabric and materials a new lease of life by turning them into cushions and bags. Each item is individually hand-made and even comes with a description of what it’s made from so that you can see how much material is being re-used.  Over the last year they’ve built up stock and now you can view and buy some of these items.

The group was one of the services that Alabaré took on when the Greencroft Centre in Salisbury closed back in 2006.  It has been run by Alabaré from the Barford Countryside Unit for the last year using money kindly donated by Trustees of The Greencroft New Alliance. 

But, unfortunately that funding is coming to an end and the group will have to cease at the end of July.  They are now looking at the idea of setting up Mad About Green as a Social Enterprise and are desperately looking for funding to get that up and running.     

Heidi Murphy, the Mad About Green Tutor said “We are all devastated that our weekly sessions are going to have to stop at the end of July, but without funding we can’t keep them going.  Mad About Green is such a great initiative; the members are developing new skills on both a practical and personal level at the same time as doing something positive for the environment.”

She added “We really hope we can secure some funding to help us get Mad About Green up and running as a Social Enterprise, there is definitely a growing market out there for recycled goods like ours.” 

If you’re are mad about the environment and mad about fashion, you’ll definitely be Mad About Green! 

View and buy some of their items on the Alabaré online shop via www.alabare.co.uk

-Ends-

For more information or to arrange an interview call Lara Higgins on 01722 344484

Notes to editors

Alabaré Christian Care Centres is a regional charity, providing a range of services including supported housing, floating support services, drop-in centres, information, advice and training services and a registered care home.  The charity works with the homeless, ex-offenders, young people, individuals with a learning difficulty, vulnerable women and people with drug and alcohol problems, aiming to assist them with realising their potential and becoming valued members of society.

www.alabare.co.uk

Reg Charity No 1006504

The Barford Countryside Unit, a converted old farmyard building in Dairy Lane, is a training facility for clients with a variety of support needs.  It has an IT suite, a woodwork workshop, kitchen facilities, a pottery barn, a textile workshop and a horticultural project.  Clients can undertake skills training, personal development and vocational courses which are accredited by the National Proficiency Test Council.

Social Enterprise - a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.