Children’s Scrapstore are looking to recruit new Trustees to join our board

• Do you have a passion for reuse?

• Do you want to use your skills to support creativity and work collaboratively on projects?

• Are you passionate about providing play opportunities?

At Children’s Scrapstore, we divert reusable waste away from landfill/energy recovery to use as a creative resource, encourage art and free expression through our ArtShop and art & craft events and help support play opportunities across Bristol.

Never been a trustee but want to gain experience in the role?  Being a trustee helps Children’s Scrapstore and we will help you to gain valuable skills, experience and knowledge and support you in your role.

Based on a recent skills audit, the skills and experience of particular interest are:

• Fundraising

• Finance & Accounting

• Governance

• HR, Recruitment & Selection

• Legislation/ Charity Law

• Retail Management

The board meets at least seven times a year from 5.45pm until approximately 8pm.

We especially welcome applications from candidates from Black and Minority Ethnic Backgrounds and anyone living with a disability as these lived experiences are under-represented in our current board.

By becoming a Trustee, you would get free membership at Children’s Scrapstore and a free basket of scrap each month.  You can also gift a membership to a group or individual you support.

For more information about being a Children’s Scrapstore Trustee, click on the Trustee Recruitment Pack.

For a pre application chat contact Tina to set up a phone call or meeting. Telephone 0117 304 1781.

To apply, please complete the application form and return it to Tina Hunt - tina@childrensscrapstore.co.uk.

Applications will be reviewed as they arrive. We look forward to hearing from you.

The successful applicants will be appointed subject to satisfactory DBS check and references.

What we do

Here at Children’s Scrapstore, we have many facets and services that are all focussed towards our mission: to redefine waste as resource, widen opportunities for creativity and play, as well as to improve wellbeing and empower others to do the same. The main components of our team are our Play Team, who run external play sessions and install PlayPods at schools across the country, the Scrapstore, where you can find and take home scrap, events, which include weekly Messy Play, Friday Craft and School Holiday Sessions, and the ArtShop, where anyone can buy art and craft supplies. You can find a bit more out about each of them here!

Our Journey in Bristol

We were first founded by Friends of the Earth in 1982 and were first located in a very small space in Brislington. The next stop on our journey was Bedminster where we stayed for a few years before moving to Welsh Back. Finally, in 2002, we settled here at what was formerly known as The Proving House. Now it is known as Scrapstore House, and is our central location for all of our activities and events!

The Proving House

Our current location was previously known as The Proving House, and used to be one of a chain (pun intended) of factories owned by Mark Priest that made chains. The family sent their sons to Bristol to continue the business here due to the booming trade and port. In the 1850’s, these chains were used with anchors on large ships that brought over palm oil and tobacco from the West Indies. The master of the vessel and the first mate would come to the factory and settle the bill with gold. Towards the end of the 19th century, machines producing high quality chains were being developed abroad, making business here much harder. However, the Priest family business did continue into the 1900’s, producing chains and metal work into WW1. In 1942, the Bristol business came to an end, and the building was sold on for other use. In the early 2000’s, we acquired the building and the rest is history!