HOMEMAKERS Community Recycling was recently congratulated on its outstanding work within the community by HRH Prince of Wales.

Homemakers who work in partnership with Monmouthshire County Council were invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate The Garfield Weston Foundations 60th Birthday Anniversary.

The foundation supported Homemakers to help build two workshops to recycle and upcycle furniture.

Homemakers was founded in 2001 by the Abergavenny and Crickhowell branch of The Friends of the Earth. They were one of the 80 charities, out of the 400 attending, selected to meet HRH Prince of Wales.

Homemakers’ assistant manager and fundraiser Rob Davies, who attended, alongside his wife Kathryn, said it was a great honour.

“The Prince remarked on the excellent work we carry out and how he was familiar with Abergavenny. The event was held in the ballroom and was something I never dreamt I would ever attend when I joined Homemakers in 2004.”

Homemakers has come along way since its genesis and now carries out the bulky collection service for MCC. They have a showroom for the general public to purchase affordable furniture at the workhouse along with the Gasworks site where they carry out recycling and upcycling of items.

They divert around 500 tonnes per year of household goods from landfill through reuse, recycling and energy recovery. They also work closely with schools and community groups to raise awareness of waste reduction. Homemakers also has a Hardship Scheme to help support people who have been in crisis situations by providing them with emergency furniture.

Homemakers is a voluntary organisation with seven members of staff and gives around 100 volunteers from different backgrounds work experience opportunities.

Chairman of Homemakers Simon Bilsborough said, “Its amazing to see how Homemakers has developed over the years. From one green van and collecting only reusable items, to accepting all household items and saving so much waste and helping so many people in different ways has been an amazing experience for all involved. Its quite clear Homemakers has a bright future and that is also largely down to the support of the general public.”

For more information on Homemakers you can either visit the showroom at the Old Workhouse in Abergavenny or view the website www.hmcrecycling.co.uk. You can also phone them on 01873857618. Homemakers is now open for purchasing and dropping off items Monday to Friday, 9-5pm and Saturday, 9-4pm.