REalliance – Resource Reuse Networking for the Big Society

Newly appointed Chair of community interest company REalliance, Mark Cook, will be launching their new Resource Reuse strategy at a prestigious event at the Houses of Parliament on 19th October 2010. The reception, hosted by John Penrose, MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, will feature prominent figures from within the resource, reuse and recycling sector. Three well-known speakers will showcase recent success stories and outline future strategy, demonstrating the social and environmental benefits of engaging with this sector. The three speakers are: Colin Crooks, Director, Green-Works Owen Jarvis, Director, Aspire Foundation Mark Cook, Chair, REalliance REalliance was established in 2008 to benefit civil society groups which work in waste reduction, reuse, composting and recycling. It was founded by four member networks: Community Composting Network, Community Recycling Network UK, Furniture Re-use Network and London Community Resource Network. REalliance has established itself as the coherent civil society voice to Government, industry and other partners in the resource re-use sector and has become the partner of choice for reuse organisations. Its ambition is to reach beyond existing networks and engage everybody in England who is working to build a sustainable economy. This is Mark’s first major event since becoming Chair in September. In his role as Partner in law firm, Anthony Collins Solicitors, Mark has considerable involvement with EU public procurement, UK tendering legislation, Best Value and State Aid. The relationships, partnerships and systems developed by REalliance enable a seamless transition to the delivery of Big Society activities. REalliance has national reach and uses its networks to ensure important messages are quickly dispersed to local civil society organisations. The event focuses on the benefits of civil society/Government partnerships, localism and influencing behaviours on reuse and recycling. Social benefit is about more than just waste. It’s about volunteering, training, placements, community action and healthy lifestyles. Everyone can take responsibility for the way they live, be aware of the way they use resources and understand the impact of their actions. REalliance has an excellent track record of delivering Government priorities. Working through a contract with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) over the last three years to deliver DEFRA’s strategy for capacity building of civil society organisations to divert waste from landfill, to reduce carbon emissions and to create far more opportunities for resource reuse. Localism taps into the passion that people have for particular issues and local communities are best-placed to influence behaviours. Through the networks, REalliance supports and adds value to local action. Many local authorities and major private waste contractors now engage with civil society organisations as a matter of course. Within civil society organisations there is a wealth of knowledge and experience in the practicalities of maximising the potential of their resources and, in turn, using them to maximise the social value created. There is mutual confidence and respect between REalliance, the networks and their members. REalliance provides a platform for the Government to engage with grass-roots organisations where consensus and understanding can be reached. REalliance is looking for new ways of collaborating and capacity building, where local people can shape the use of resources in their neighbourhoods and share good delivery models in a transparent way that demonstrates social value. Quotes/Comment Chair, Mark Cook: “This will be a key networking opportunity for everyone involved in reuse, waste recycling and composting. The collaboration of the four major networks that make up REalliance delivers the triple bottom line of environmental, social and economic benefit which should be the measure of well-being and value for money in local services. “The lunchtime event will give attendees a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the work of REalliance, the connections we provide and how we can help deliver civil society priorities. “We are the custodians of the prefix “RE”. Reduce, reuse, recycle – the three Rs are still pertinent. But they are much more than matters of the material. They are contributions to a revived civil society, a re-energised approach to resources, reaffirmation that we have to reduce our consumption. How is this message to be engrained? We can be part of the answer to that challenge.” Case Studies Case studies are available to read on the REalliance website at: www.realliance.org.uk. Most recent case studies include: Preen Community Interest Group REalliance provided support to Preen Community Interest Group through the Third Sector Capacity Building programme. The support enabled Preen CIC to review their business strategy and health & safety policy and assisted with the development of a new business plan and marketing strategy. Doncaster Re-Furnish REalliance provided support through the Third Sector Capacity Building programme enabling Doncaster Re-Furnish to develop a marketing strategy as part of its expansion plan.

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