Emlyn Circle CIC awarded Climate and Community (charity reg 1172500) a small grant of £250 towards materials needed to finish the litter pickers hub, planned to go out in early spring. The hub is a portable set up, set to pop up at public locations needing a tidy up. It is called ‘TACLU!’ It has all the resources needed to pick litter as well as a café and craft area so volunteers can relax, chat and create their own screen printed patches, T shirts or bags to take home to promote the Taclu! project and litter picking in general. We hope to have a litter picker’s event in Newcastle Emlyn in March/April. www.climateandcommunity.org.uk
It is always good to make local connections and Emlyn Circle CIC is a well stocked reasonably priced charity shop with friendly staff and local customers who are often up for a chat. A shop I use regularly for myself as well as for the charity (their 50p mugs are brilliant!) Velma Dixon is the manageress and founder of the enterprise; she set up a Community Interest Company in 2011. After taking advice on the best legal structure, the CIC came out as the most flexible for what she aimed to do. Velma had previously worked in charity shops and knew the business. Accepting second hand clothing and household items donated by local people then after some cleaning and care selling them on from a shop premises. Velma quickly attracted a dedicated team of volunteers to work in the shop. https://www.facebook.com/groups/730683897099210/
The profits build up in a community fund which has been distributed to over 30 local associations, societies, schools and town festivals all based in Newcastle Emlyn and directly benefiting Emlyn residents. Velma and the volunteers regularly meet up to make decisions on how to distribute the community fund.
The local community are very generous in the goods they donate and customers of the shop appreciate very reasonably priced goods. This work directly helps local families, pensioners, those of lower incomes and local residents who simply want a bargain. It also encourages the recycling and re-use of second hand goods.
It is a win win win situation all round, so thank you Emlyn circle!