A fitting find: Bio Labs’ compact mirrors and plant pots are matched with two fantastic charities
A Good Thing is an online platform that allows businesses to give things away to their local charities. Less to landfill, more to a good cause! The case study below is an example of the wonderful impact that can be made through these matches.
Making matches, or rather facilitating them, is what we do at A Good Thing: matches that connect businesses with items that would otherwise go to waste, with charities that need them.
When Cheshire-based Bio Laboratories uploaded 205 yellow ceramic plant pots and 125 black plastic compact mirrors to the A Good Thing site recently, these items were quickly spotted by and paired up with two wonderful charities in the north-west of England.
Bio Labs, a branded merchandise company that sells (among other things) toiletries and beauty products, is an A Good Thing subscriber and has donated a number of its products in the past via the platform, including sunscreen, lip balms and perfumes.
Bio Labs giving away plant pots piqued our interest at A Good Thing, this being a significant change from the firm’s usual donations. Sue Mannion from Bio Labs explained:
“We had bought the pots at the request of a customer, who wanted us to fill them with a range of products – however the customer was not able to proceed, so the pots have been in storage. We would not send them to landfill… we just needed to find them a good home, which we now have thanks to A Good Thing! A special ‘thank you’ to Cathy, too.”
Rehomed to two good causes
The recipient of the plant pots was The Wellspring, a homelessness charity based in Stockport. The Rossendale Trust Ltd, a Cheshire-based charity that provides supported-living care to adults with learning and physical disabilities, received the mirrors.
When Janet from The Wellspring requested the pots, she said:
“I would like to request these pots for The Wellspring to pass to the Hattersley Community Garden Project. The pots will support families from the community who want to ‘grow their own’ and cannot afford to buy the equipment needed.”
Janet explained:
“I requested plant pots knowing they would be perfect for the Hattersley Community Garden Project. Although I work for The Wellspring, I also live in the Hattersley area and have seen at first hand the wonderful work the Garden Project does. It organises events for local children and families, as well as groups for over-60s, creating a welcoming space for people of all ages to come together and connect. At The Wellspring, we support families that are struggling to make ends meet, so it’s brilliant to see community projects like Hattersley Garden supporting those same families in such a positive, social way.”
Regarding the mirrors, Sue Heaven, Head of Fundraising and PR at The Rossendale Trust, said:
“I would like to express our sincere thanks for the continued generosity and support from Bio Labs. Its first donation of compact mirrors was a wonderful addition to our goody bags at the annual ladies’ charity lunch in May. With 140 ladies attending this year, the mirrors were a real hit – finding quality gifts at low cost is always a challenge, so Bio Labs’ contribution made a big difference. We’re delighted to have secured a second donation of mirrors for our 2026 event, which we know will be equally appreciated.”
The Rossendale Trust has been matched with Bio Labs before, as Sue explained:
“Bio Labs also kindly provided football-shaped lip balms for our Family Festival in July. With a focus on sports and outdoor fun, these were the perfect to giveaway for the children taking part in the activities – fun, practical and memorable.”
And the charity has had other successful matches via the platform, too:
“The support from A Good Thing has also extended to our horticulture department, with a donation of a large planters. These are being planted by the people we support – individuals with learning disabilities – and will eventually be sold to individuals and businesses in the area, helping to build skills and raise funds. And just this week, we received another generous donation via A Good Thing, this time of small gold pots that will be planted with spring bulbs and sold at our upcoming Christmas fair. These will add a festive touch and help us raise vital funds for our work.”
“Definitely a Good Thing!”
It’s wonderful to hear from users how easy it is to use A Good Thing. Sue Mannion from Bio Labs told us:
“Using A Good Thing is so easy, and if we have had any questions they are always answered quickly. It is a smooth process. We’re delighted we signed up in 2024!”
Janet from The Wellspring fed back:
“I’ve used A Good Thing many times now, and each experience has run smoothly. The process is always straightforward and well-organised. A Good Thing makes it easy to connect donations with people and projects. I’ve already shared the platform with other charities and will definitely continue using it in the future.”
Sue from The Rossendale Trust gave this feedback:
“I find the app easy to use. All in all – yes, it is definitely a Good Thing!”