As factories have been closing or downsizing during covid, we have been busy buying
material handling and storage equipment at very low cost, to supply a pallet sized package of shelving ,
steps & trolleys so groups can start their own small hardware distribution point.
We are calling these 'Emergency Shelter
Distribution Centres' (ESDC) or mobile 'Hardware & Fixings Stations' and it is open to social businesses or community groups for their buildings
or even shed or garages.
If you are a Uk community group, charity or social enterprise and are interested, please get in touch via email at cabinznet@gmail.com for further details
The aim of these initiatives is to distribute low cost or free fixings & building materials (as funding allows) to allow people on low income to repair or build simple green houses / cloches, insulated home work /storage sheds or animal shelters. We believe these will be greatly needed when furlough ends.
Many building materials including fixings have greatly increased in price recently. There was an article in the Guardian a few months ago about shortages, the situation may have become worse due to the Suez Canal blockage.
"Builders
are running short of everything from power tools and screws to timber
and roof tiles as the gridlock at UK ports holds up crucial deliveries
and sets off alarm bells in the run-up to Brexit. "
"Timber is of particular concern (the price is up between 20% and 40% because of supply problems in Scandinavia)...
As
we have not been able to do the markets this year due to covid, we
have been supplying groups by post & online initiatives .
Cabinz have been supplying
NCWRP
members with 500 kg crates and other fixings orders.
Those supplied recently have been We're eco in Somerset,
Northampton wood recycling and members in Edinburgh,Glasgow &
E.Sussex
We still have several million fixings in stock and would like to work
further with charities, & small biz, perhaps in conjunction
with our shelving and insulated floor / wall panels, we have recently
purchased that could form a hardware dept. with other groups to encourage a repair culture & low cost shelter building.
We have a thousand new & used castor wheels in stock at low cost if you want to make them mobile.
A
few months ago we offered NCWRP members 6000m of very low cost
insulated wall sandwich panels for reuse from demolition, we still have access to this material, from suppliers who
are keen to support us. .
There was particular interest from suppliers of refrigerated rooms for food banks
to reuse the panels.
My Pics taken 2-5-21 in B&Q in Rhyl show many shelves in the screw & hardware dept. empty. When asked. a member of staff said it was due to the recent Suez canal blockage
Please share this intiative.
Regards Paul Ridley Volunteer Coordinator
Cabinz cic & The Shelter & Hardware Bank Network (SAHBN)
