Not for Profit
Lucy Cooper, Founder, Project Joy (centre) with (l-r) Phil Lonsdale, CCN; Keith Baggette, Baggette & Company; Denise Wedlake, The Crown; Andy Madden, Project Joy, and Jess Fullbrook, CCN. Picture: Dorset Biz News.
Published: April 18, 2021 | Updated: 18th April 2021
A social enterprise is recycling used cable drums and pallets from the rollout of full fibre across the BCP area into a variety of handcrafted products.
They include tables, fairy houses, planters and garden, recipe and food boxes.
Up to 25 people are involved in the appropriately named Project Joy.
Many of the materials would previously have ended up in landfill.
A paid commission from CityFibre will also see clocks made from the used cable drums gifted to senior stakeholders.
CityFibre is currently establishing a full fibre network across the BCP area.
Lucy, who is CityFibre’s City Manager for BCP, came up with the idea for Project Joy at the end of last year.
She said: “In December, when lockdown v.3 seemed inevitable, I couldn’t find any joy in the beautiful town of Poole where I was born and feel incredibly blessed to live.
“While I have been fortunate to stay in full time employment and have a fantastic support bubble, I appreciate this is not the case for many people around me, both loved ones and strangers.
“Project Joy is a Poole-based social enterprise from the heart.
“Our aim is to bring joy to the residents of Poole.
“One of the main psychological impacts of the pandemic has been that humans have lost a sense of purpose and have had little opportunity for interaction.
“I also saw how the first lockdown had a hugely positive impact on the planet and environment and so Project Joy was born.”
Lucy, pictured right, said the main objectives of Project Joy were:
The core products are:
These are made from the cable drums and pallets donated to Project Joy by CCN, the local build partners for CityFibre.
They are currently stored in a shipping container in Poole, pictured left, and distributed to volunteers to repurpose.
Phil Lonsdale, CCN’s Transport Manager, said: “We get through about 20 to 30 drums each month and they just sit there in our depot. We can’t give them away.
“This is such a good idea for so many reasons, including freeing up space for us.”
Denise Wedlake, Manager of The Crown in Poole – and regarded as the creative genius behind the making of cable drum tables – added: “It’s an amazing initiative and we’re very happy to be involved.”
Provided to Project Joy recipients to encourage home grown ingredients, sustainability and promote the mental health benefits of growing and nurturing.
Donations to the project have included a chest freezer and a HP laptop.
It’s also received £2,500 towards the purchase of a Project Joy van from Poole-based wealth management specialist Baggette & Company.
Chairman Keith Baggette, pictured with Lucy, said: “We like to give back to the community wherever possible and this is a superb idea.”
Support has also come from Jobshop UK, owned and managed by Frances Miles, which has set up a temporary payroll.
The CityFibre commission, from CEO Greg Mesch, will see Project Joy make 60 ‘Gigabit clocks’ from cable drums.
The senior stake holders where CityFibre is building a full fibre infrastructure will receive a clock.
Greg said: “‘At CityFibre it is important that we embed in local communities.
“We recently announced our full fibre roll out in Poole and we are pleased to be able to support community initiatives such as Project Joy.
“The Gigabit clocks will be made from used cable drums, donated by our build partners, and repurposed as a functional gift for our stake holders.”
Project Joy’s future plans include identifying suitable land opportunities in Poole for an allotment, outbuilding and workshop as well as offer its products on Etsy and explore any community grants that may be available.
Andy Madden, Chairman of Project Joy, said: “Opportunities to do quite so much good across such a range of different ways are rare.
“Among its objectives, Project Joy aims to reduce landfill, encourage and utilise creativity in the making of handcrafted products, provide employment and support those left vulnerable by the pandemic.
“It is a privilege to be involved at the very foundation of such a movement.”
