New ‘upcycling’ service supporting people with learning disabilities officially opens in Flint

A new ‘upcycling’ service that reuses items that would normally be scrapped or end up in landfill has been officially opened in Flint.

As part of the ongoing innovations in learning disability services, Abbey Metal has been relaunched as ‘Abbey Upcycling’.

The service, operated by learning disabilities charity, Hft on behalf of Flintshire County Council, supports people with learning disabilities in three distinct activities enabling them to develop a variety of new skills.

Activities include upcycling bicycles, making and upcycling furniture and homewares, and using recycled electronics to make guitar pedals.

Employees and the people supported at Abbey Upcycling welcomed representatives from the Council and parents to celebrate the official opening of the service.

Visitors were able to work alongside the people supported to prepare some items for Hft’s upcoming Christmas Fair at the Hwb Cyfle in Queensferry on 4 December (12-4pm.)

Jordan Smith, Regional Manager, Hft Flintshire said:

“We are really excited to be relaunching Abbey Upcycling as an eco-friendly project, reusing items that would normally be scrapped or end up in landfill, giving them a second life.

“The people we support are already seeing the benefits by learning new skills, trying out new activities and taking pride in seeing something they have worked on bring joy to other people.”

“We are very grateful to the Landfill Trust who have given us a grant to purchase new tools and equipment, and to Bewcraft Signs for generously designing and donating all the new signage for the building.”

William Brown, an apprentice support worker at Abbey Upcycling, said:

“It was brilliant to see new faces and a privilege to show them how hard the people we support work and the new skills they are learning every day.”

One of the people supported commented:

“It went very well overall and it was good to see visitors getting involved.”

Flintshire’s Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Christine Jones, said:

“Myself and Neil Ayling, Chief Officer for Social Services, were very impressed with the service. It was great to speak to all the people there and to see the range of skills that they had learnt. ”

“It is obvious those attending Abbey Upcyling really enjoy it and get a lot from their time there. It was so nice to meet the dedicated team.”

Members of the public are invited to come and take a look at what is on offer.

• Abbey Upcycling is open Monday-Friday 8.30-4pm, at 1 Heinzel Park, Flint, next door to Screwfix.