Boston’s Unplugged Recycling charity forced to close

In a statement, Unplugged Recycling announced that it was with “great sadness” that the charity was set to close.

Unplugged was formed in 1997 to provide short term, work training placements to disabled and disadvantaged people from all backgrounds.

A spokesperson for the charity, which has been based on Haven Business Park, off Slippery Gowt Lane, Wyberton, said: “Since its formation, we have helped hundreds of people gain valuable life skills which have then led to meaningful places in society and the general working environment.

“Our work involves the manual dismantling and separation of end of life electrical waste materials which are then forwarded for reprocessing in the UK. This work diverted thousands of tons of waste from landfill and has saved the local tax payers considerable costs in disposal by the local council as well as helping the environment.”

The workforce is made up entirely of learning or physically disabled as well as long term unemployed volunteers. The aim, aside from the environmental issues, is for disadvantaged and disabled volunteers to learn new work related skills, boost or gain social skills and improve their self-confidence. Volunteers spend, on average, six weeks with Unplugged, learning as many of the different aspects of the work environment as they are either able to, or wish to. They then go to gain paid work in the wider community with the aid of the new skills learnt at Unplugged, or go back into the education system to learn more.

Unfortunately, despite all of the staff being volunteers, they still have considerable, and ever escalating overheads which they say they are no longer able to sustain due to funding not being secured for the upcoming period.

Over the years Unplugged has been sustained by two large Big Lottery grants to continue running along with a grant from the Bailey Thomas Charitable Fund.

The spokesperson said: “Our operation will be wound down over the next couple of months and a projected final closing date around January 31 2025.

“We would like to thank all of the public that have supported us, and used our free service, and most importantly, we would like to thank all of our volunteers who have made this project work so well for so many years.”