One of the perks of working for NHBS is spending a few days per year volunteering for any organisation that works for the benefit of the environment. This November, I chose to venture out to a special place that ticks that box with a passion.
Proper Job in Chagford, Devon, is a registered charity that aims to protect and preserve the environment by promoting waste reduction, re-use and recycling. Its roots wriggle all the way back to 1993 when a group of environmentally conscious allotment holders launched a community composting project. They had noticed how much reusable, recyclable and compostable material was being dumped in the rural skip and started collecting anything that could be reused or recycled. In 1995, this resulted in the founding of a community business that was committed to principles of sustainability and the creation of jobs.
Fast forward to 2023, Proper Job continues to develop its operations and mission on a sizeable site, just outside Chagford. Proper Job now runs a treasure trove of pre-loved items: household products, media, building materials, clothing, tools, furniture, electrics. And, of course, the compost heap is still well alive… literally. Proper Job is closely involved with the community. Not only through opening the “Uptown” shop in the heart of Chagford town, it also liaises with other local organisations. Throughout the year Proper Job hosts affordable or free workshops, talks and community events in a bid to educate the public about the need for reducing waste and how to achieve this.
Helping out for a day at the Proper Job Resource Centre gave me a great chance to talk to staff and volunteers. I learned about how the site operates and its interaction with the public. I heard how the times have their signs, such as the challenges and aftermath of Covid, and how nowadays the rising costs of living seem to be leading to a greater share of customers with relatively higher income.
Proper Job’s strategic aims include four key terms: waste reduction, education, conservation, and community. These ethical values are of course all interlinked and it is commendable how Proper Job puts its energy in all these aspects. I certainly felt that the people I worked with during my day at Proper Job hold these values at heart. Nearly three decades of ongoing graft and development of this project bear testimony to the dedication of volunteers, staff and the support by the community. It’s a hopeful awareness.
Learn more about Proper Job via their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.