More than two tonnes of pre-loved items set for a new life as SUEZ supports Blind Veterans UK

Sixteen SUEZ volunteers, including nine members of the company’s Veterans Network, rolled up their sleeves to help the charity sort and clear its storage areas, identifying items that could be repurposed.

The activity formed part of SUEZ’s ‘Day a Year to Volunteer’ initiative, which encourages every employee to spend a working day each year supporting community projects and causes that make a positive difference – a scheme the company is proud to champion.

SUEZ provided a fleet of vehicles – including two ROROs, a box van and three panel vans – to transport the recovered material to reuse and recycling sites. The once-cluttered storage area has now been transformed into a bright, functional space, now colloquially referred to by staff as the “SUEZ Suite” since the clean-up.

Among the items recovered for reuse were:

• 900kg of household items, heading to SUEZ’s five Revive reuse shops operated on behalf of Surrey County Council
• 820kg of electrical products, sent for PAT testing and renewal
• 580kg of medical equipment, which will be reintroduced into NHS circulation or provided as humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Any material that couldn’t be reused was recycled at SUEZ’s Fareham transfer station, ensuring as little as possible went to waste.

Kellie D’Arcy-Pattenden, Interim Head of Centre Services at Blind Veterans UK, said: “Our Rustington Centre has limited space and was overwhelmed with unrequired items from our old Brighton site, along with failed electrical equipment needing proper disposal. Thanks to the generous support of the SUEZ team, we were able to sort, recycle, and repurpose many of these items through their expert help and corporate volunteering days, reducing both environmental impact and costs for the charity.”

Dave Shaw, Co-Chair of the SUEZ Veterans Network, added: “It was a privilege to support Blind Veterans UK, a charity that means so much to many of us. With a thriving Veterans Network within SUEZ, we are proud to bring our shared values of service and teamwork to projects like this. Using our ‘Day a Year to Volunteer’ scheme in this way was an excellent opportunity to make a real impact with the power of reuse and recycling, while strengthening our connection with the wider veteran community.”