Man turns his life around with help from second-hand furniture shop

A man who was both unemployed and homeless was given a helping hand to turn his life around from a second-hand furniture shop.
Martyn Haytack with Steve Hyde (chair of friends of Queens Park)Martyn Haytack with Steve Hyde (chair of friends of Queens Park)
Martyn Haytack with Steve Hyde (chair of friends of Queens Park)

After a period of illness, which led him to become jobless and temporarily without a home, Martyn Haytack, 60, was provided with recycled items from the Revalued Service in Featherstone to help him establish a new home.

Mr Haytack, who was kitted out with a bed, dining table, cutlery, plates and electrical items, said: “It is unbelievable the difference this has made to me. Thanks to the service and the recycling scheme, I’ve been able to furnish my new home.

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“It means that I can put a difficult time in my life behind me and I’ve been able to start again.”

The Revalued service is run by The Friends of Queens Park.

And Wakefield Council and Shanks Waste Management Ltd have recently teamed up to back it, as part of a ‘Pass It On’ scheme, designed to encourage people to recycle unwanted household items.

Shanks staff identify potentially re-usable items taken to the district’s recycling centres.

Volunteers from the Revalued service then sort through the finds and select household products to sell at low cost in its Featherstone shop.

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The council is urging people to recycle their unwanted clothing, toys and electrical items directly so they can be used to help others.

Coun Maureen Cummings, cabinet member for environment and communities said: “At this time of year many people are having a clear out, I’d like everyone to think carefully about donating items to their local charity, or taking items that they no longer need to one of our recycling centres so they can be re-used to help others.

“The link with Friends of Queens Park is one of many ways in which we are helping to reduce the number of items going into landfill, which is kinder to the environment and has the benefit of helping people too.”

The council also offers a collection service for larger items for a small fee. Some local charities will also collect larger items of furniture that are in good condition.

To find out more about how and where to recycle items visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/passiton

And for information about the Re-Valued service visit queenspark.btck.co.uk