Our Story

SCRAP Centre of Creative, Reuse Play and Learning is a social enterprise based in a creative space at Sunnybank Mills, Farsley, Leeds. We were established in 2006 in a small unit in Leeds and have grown a great deal in size since then, developing from a funding reliant organisation to a self-sustainable not-for-profit social enterprise. Founder Louise Lucas, who has worked within the education and community sectors for many years, has always had a concern for environmental issues and could see the potential and need of diverting business waste as low-cost resources for art, play and learning. From our Centre we divert over a hundred tonnes of business waste per year from landfill to play, learning and community projects across the region. As a not-for-profit organisation we try and make our social enterprise as sustainable as possible. We achieve this mainly by running a shop which sells low cost resources that would have gone to waste. We also provide ScrapSheds to schools across Yorkshire, run environmental corporate days and training and craft sessions for adults and children. Every single project and activity SCRAP delivers has an environmental and social thread running through it.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We are a growing social enterprise with paid staff and volunteers. We provide structured work placements and volunteer opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities, mental and physical health issues. Our space provides a warm friendly, supportive environment for practical training which supports people to develop work based skills, forge friendships, self-esteem and confidence.

Environment

SCRAP diverts over 100 tonnes of non-toxic business waste each year from landfill to create our Centre of Creative Reuse, Play and Learning. Larger items which are collected are sent directly to our ScrapSheds for open ended outdoor play.

We have over 60 major business donors. SCRAP donors are the businesses which supply us with their clean waste products. This benefits us as we can use resources for fantastic arts materials and benefits businesses as they pay fewer landfill charges. Businesses are able demonstrate their environmental awareness and social responsibility regarding the environment and the local community.

Creativity & Education

We encourage creativity and run workshops for schools and groups of all sizes from our mill space in Leeds, all with a focus on creativity through reuse and invention. We also put on regular events for the public, either early years sensory play or freestyle maker sessions for older children and families.

Our experienced in-house team of artists and makers bring their enthusiasm and creativity to the varied projects and events we hold within out training and maker spaces. As well as devising our own training and workshops we offer bespoke workshops and training to schools to meet their preferred topic or focus.

SCRAP Continuing Professional Development workshops are designed for teachers, learning professionals, home educators and anyone interested in building their own confidence and skills in facilitating and encouraging creativity in children, young people and adults and an understanding of the importance of creativity as part of effective education.

We also offer space for meetings and events, and what better way to bring your team together than with an inspiring Corporate Away Day in SCRAP?