Creativity connects charities: Ikon Gallery’s gifts find new purpose
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.
When the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham recently signed up to A Good Thing, it had a set of leftover exhibition materials looking for a home. Luckily, Ikon is no stranger to sustainability – the gallery has had a no-skip policy since 2013 – so finding a way to reuse and recycle was already part of its DNA.
Through the platform, those materials didn’t just avoid landfill: they were given fresh life by three different charities, each using them to fuel creativity and community projects.
This story is not only about sustainability and smart reuse, but also about the generosity of one charity supporting others. Ikon itself is a charity, and by sharing items it no longer needed, it gave fellow organisations the chance to do more of what they do best.
DIY heaven
Ikon listed a variety of items on the platform, including:
47 blocks of glass wool wall insulation, used once in a temporary exhibition
10 square-based display plinths for showcasing artworks
Timber lengths suitable for constructing stud walls
A trolley of wood scraps and offcuts in different shapes and sizes
Rather than going to waste, these items were matched with three different charities in the Birmingham area, each with its own inspiring story.
St Germain’s Church, Edgbaston
St Germain’s Church is also no stranger to sustainable initiatives, having been recognised by a professional body for its eco-consciousness. St Germain’s is planning to set up a woodworking project run by a retired carpenter to help local people develop practical skills, while supporting the wider community.
Birmingham winters are known for being chilly, and the insulation blocks will be used to keep the new workshop space cosy and to protect the tools and materials. What’s more, St Germain’s kept in touch with the Ikon Gallery following the initial donation, and later received a donation of even more wood to help build the workshop itself.
Ashebo and CRICK Gardens
From woodwork to gardening: the timber and offcuts went via the Ashebo initiative to CRICK Gardens, a community garden in Handsworth. The garden runs arts and crafts sessions, grows food with residents, and makes grow boxes from reclaimed wood.
The Ashebo charity works to promote creativity, skills and sustainability. The sharing of resources between these charities show that the three work hand-in-hand. In the words of Ashebo, “it’s a simple but powerful way to reduce waste and create long-term value for our communities”.
Dudley Canal and Caverns
The Dudley Canal and Caverns Trust’s mission is to preserve and share the industrial heritage of the Black Country. The Trust is currently applying for funding to refurbish the exhibition space, to showcase special objects and create an educational and inspiring space for the community. We heard from the Trust that “not every application is successful and donations such as this can help charities like ourselves kickstart the process”.
The donation of the display plinths will help volunteers to get started in the meantime to breathe new life into the space.
A good thing all round
For Ikon, signing up to A Good Thing was a chance to develop its sustainability initiatives. The team was keen to ensure that these useful resources went to others who could benefit from them.
This donation is a great example of how one organisation’s waste can become another organisation’s valuable resource. Not only has it saved items from landfill, it has also helped three charities continue their work to teach new skills, tell their local history and bring communities together.
One set of donations, three charities supported – and plenty of creativity sparked along the way.