CRAFTY volunteers at Rushcliffe Play Forum have confessed that no skip is safe from their artistic eyes in the run-up to their 30th anniversary celebrations.
Based at The Bungalow, next to Keyworth Primary School, in Nottingham Road, the Aladdin's cave of scraps and off-cuts is a treasure trove of resources for Blue Peter-style projects.
Established in 1984, the two-room centre is a giant craft cupboard for more than 100 community groups and now boasts around ten tonnes of ribbon, fabric and card.
Linda Cox, 53, of Thorneywood, has been working and volunteering at the play forum for 14 years and is constantly on the hunt for treasures to add to the hoard. She said: "We collect a lot of materials from local businesses but the job does make you look at the world differently.
"We are always keeping an eye out for materials that could be used. Only the other week we found some tiles in a skip which we are going to get the kids to paint at the next event.
"It's great because it gets the community to be creative but also stops waste going to landfill, so it is good for kids, families and the environment."
Mrs Cox says the forum was initially set up by Nottinghamshire County Council's play team as a way to facilitate play during the recession in the 1980s.
Funding for the forum ended at Christmas last year, although the group is still eligible to apply for county council grants. However, the 12 permanent volunteers, including Mrs Cox, are determined to keep the forum – run as a charity – going regardless.
There are 122 other scrap schemes across the country that keep stock fresh by trading scraps with each other.
Chris Gust, head teacher of Keyworth Primary and Nursery School, says his pupils and staff use the scrap store regularly.
"It's such a great group of people who are so committed to making sure that play can happen," he said. "It is such a great resource, too.
"You go in there, get something specific and come out with a hundred other ideas – it's great and it is fantastic that they've been going for 30 years."
To celebrate its anniversary, the forum will be holding an open day at the site on Thursday, May 29, between 2pm and 4pm.
David Mitchell, Rushcliffe Borough Council executive manager for communities, said: "It's a great service and we wold urge people to support it so that it can continue for another 30 years."
How do you recycle your scraps? Get in touch at newsdesk@nottinghampost.com.
