News and Events

New Educational Resource Centre opens in Harvey Centre

The Phoenix Resource Centre, an environmental charity that collects surplus stock, offcuts, end of lines and unwanted goods and materials from industry and recycles them as educational resources, has opened in a former storage area in the Harvey Centre.

With budgets being stretched further and further, the Phoenix Resource Centre has the perfect antidote.

A massive stock of resources including wood, MDF, foam board, Fabric, buttons, stickers, paper, card, wool, candles, toys and books for lessons and even aftershave, gifts and home-ware for fundraising purposes; ensures schools, pre-schools, nurseries and youth groups and other members can make massive savings.

By paying an annual fee (just £10) members can purchase tokens to visit and collect valuable materials for their lessons.

Launched in Raunds, Northamptonshire in September 2009, the organisation has gone from strength to strength as members have benefitted from the low cost materials provided. By providing an additional 30,000sqft of retail space, The Harvey Centre has enabled the Phoenix Resource Centre to expand its operation into Harlow and the surrounding areas.

Andrew Richardson, one of the trustees from the Phoenix Resource Centre said, “We’re delighted to be able to expand our operation into Essex and Hertfordshire and we thank the Harvey Centre Management team and the landlord for their assistance in making this happen.

“The charity collects 20 tonnes of products each week from suppliers who benefit financially from a reduction in their clearance and landfill fees. We collect clean waste, unwanted goods and returns, almost 100% of which is brand new and unused.

John Bree, who is helping to manage the new resource centre, added “Storage and haulage is always an issue for us and this new outlet in the Harvey Centre will help us tremendously. The support we have already received from the Harvey Centre Management Team and staff has been excellent”

Bryan Young, Centre Manager at the Harvey Centre said “30,000sqft is a lot of space to find, but we were able to reconfigure a storage area that can be accessed from the top floor of our car park for this very worthy cause.

“We’re proud of our involvement, past and present, with our local community and in particular with schools and children. The Phoenix Resource Centre offer a fantastic  and innovative service to schools and children’s groups at this difficult economic environment – I’m delighted that we could help.’