Posted on Friday 28th November 2025
Councillor Andrew Mynors (left, with HWRC worker Lamar) praised the win as demonstrating the council's "commitment to supporting care leavers and giving them the best possible start in life."
An innovative scheme launched by Staffordshire County Council this year, which supplies care leavers with good-quality used furniture to set up homes, has won a national award.
The Care Leavers Hub project, run by the waste and recycling team, scooped the top prize in the Local Authority Success category in the National Recycling Awards in London yesterday.
The hub allows young people leaving care to choose from a wide range of essential household items, including sofas, beds, kitchenware and lamps, all provided free of charge.
The furniture and other items have all been donated by residents to the county’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). Young people can choose the items they need and have them delivered at no cost. The project not only helps the young people save money but also provides emotional reassurance in what is a major change in their lives.
Andrew Mynors, Cabinet Member for Connectivity at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“It’s a fantastic achievement to be recognised nationally in a leading sector awards event and it's fully deserved for a project which is making such a difference in the lives of young people in Staffordshire.
“By reusing good-quality furniture donated by our residents, we’re not only reducing waste but also making it a little easier for young people in setting up in a new home.
“This demonstrates our commitment to supporting care leavers and giving them the best possible start in life, as well as how our different services are working together to get the best for our communities.”
The care leavers also receive cleaning hampers and basic essentials, such as tool kits to help them move into homes provided by a local charity.
MRW's National Recycling Awards is largest awards ceremony for the UK recycling and resource management sector.
Further details on the project are available on the Care Leavers' Hub webpage.