Mums in Paisley have been given FREE nappies thanks to a unique project founded by Prince Charles.
Now charities, churches and community groups are being urged to cash in on the In Kind Direct scheme, which could save them thousands of pounds every year.
For several years Kibble education and care centre, in Paisley has been getting various products from In Kind Direct – which accepts donations of brand-new goods from manufacturers and retail giants and distributes them for a tenth of their normal cost.
And in a new move, Kibble is now marketing and promoting the amazing cut-price goods project. In Kind Direct produce a catalogue of the products, which can be bought at a fraction of the normal price. Goods available include everything from photocopiers, computers, stationary, cleaning materials, sports clothes and shoes to washing powder, toys, carpeting, kitchenware and nappies.
Community groups and charities order what they need and the goods are delivered to their door. What little they are charged for the products is used to cover handling, administration and distribution.
Companies who donate goods to In Kind Direct include Procter and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson, L’Oreal, B&Q, Adidas, Berghaus, Disney, Early Learning Centre Microsoft and Gestetner.
One of the groups already using In Kind Direct is the Star Project, in Shortroods. They ordered a consignment of nappies and gave them away in a buy-two-get-one-free offer through their nappy co-operative.
Two teenagers from Kibble are also getting valuable work experience under the leadership of instructor Ian McCrone as they visit charities and community groups telling them about the benefits of In Kind Direct.
And they have organised two open days – on Monday and Tuesday June 14 and 15 – for groups to come to the KibbleWorks premises, at Greenhill Business Park, Murray Street, Paisley to see the huge range of goods available and hear more about In Kind Direct.
Kibble’s youth enterprise manager, Jim Mullan said: “In Kind Direct could be described as the charities’ charity. Hundreds of Britain’s best-known manufacturers donate their surplus goods and every year millions of pounds worth of goods is distributed to groups of all sizes.
“Many charities have benefited from the scheme and we want more to make the huge savings on products they need which can free up money for the valuable work that they do in the community.”
He added: “For organisations like community groups where every pound is a prisoner, the savings to be made on their running costs can be substantial.
“It might sound like there’s a catch and it’s too good to be true, but believe me the quality and variety of the goods available is amazing and you’re paying only a tiny fraction of their real value.
“The products donated by manufacturers and retailers come from surplus stock, over production, end-of-line and un-needed promotional stock.
“The monthly catalogues are jam-packed with every product you could imagine and they really are offers you can’t refuse.”
Community groups who join In Kind Direct will get a year’s free membership and the first £150 of their initial order paid for through a grant by the National Lottery’s Community Fund.
Jim added: “Organisations who qualify to join In Kind Direct are any group who operates for the benefit of the community and not for profit.
“In real terms the offer of getting your first £150 worth of goods free is worth about £1500. While the offer of free membership and goods is available, it gives people a risk-free opportunity to try the service and discover just how beneficial it is.”
The In Kind Direct project is also good for the environment, as these goods would end up in landfill sites if they hadn’t been donated by manufacturers and retailers.
Prince Charles said: “As well as helping overstretched charities make their funds go further, In Kind Direct does offer a huge benefit to the environment.
“In Kind Direct is managing to channel resources which would otherwise have been lost with no one deriving any benefit, to charities that can make good use of them.
“In Kind Direct is doing a remarkable job for charities and I do urge all those who have not yet joined to see whether we could help them achieve their goals. I hope more charities will recognise just what In Kind Direct can do for them and even more will join our books, whilst an increasing number of companies will realise that we can find new homes for their products for which they have no use.”
The Kibble’s involvement with In Kind Direct is also good training for the young boys working on the project. “It teaches the boys organisational skills, how to deal with people, presentational skills and getting experience of promoting and marketing,” says Jim. “The two lads have done very well and there has been a marked improvement in their abilities to organise things, general appearance and self-confidence.”
For more information about how local groups can benefit from in Kind Direct contact Jim Mullan, at KibbleWorks on 0141 842 3331.