KRL in urgent search for new board members

Kintyre Recycling Limited (KRL) is urgently seeking new voluntary board members as it tries to protect more than 20 jobs. The social enterprise company has provided a recycling service in Kintyre for more than 20 years, collecting and sorting more than 700 tonnes of materials each year. In February, Argyll and Bute Council voted to take the recycling service for Kintyre in-house from October 2021. KRL, which has worked ‘tirelessly’ to offer employment and environmental services to the Kintyre community, said the decision took the company ‘by surprise’ and has ‘thrown into doubt’ the future of 16 jobs. KRL’s directors are currently fighting to ensure that as many as possible of the company’s employees are offered new roles within the council as per their rights under UK employment legislation. The directors told the Courier: ‘We employ 21 staff in total, a significant number for any employer in South Kintyre, and many of KRL’s employees have barriers to work and find it difficult to get supportive employment in other ways. ‘As part of our long-term efforts to diversify, we are presently operating a furniture reuse shop in Longrow and offer bicycle repair, servicing and sales from our Glebe Street facility. ‘KRL will soon be hiring e-bikes to the public to help encourage bike use to a wider audience and improve the service offered to locals and visitors. ‘As well as this, we will be expanding our range of woodcraft items produced from locally-sourced wood waste, such as whisky barrel staves. ‘To promote and support these expanding services, we are urgently seeking new voluntary board members who are able and willing to lend their time to ensuring KRL continues to provide environmental and employment benefits to the Kintyre community at this challenging but also very exciting time.’ Anyone interested in sharing their experience to support KRL’s aims and help protect the employment of people with barriers to work, or who would like to learn more about the part-time voluntary posts, should contact the following: Malcolm McMillan, director, 07852 956 645; Ian Fawcett, director, 07749 388 088; or Amanda Thorburn, KRL manager, 01586 553858 or admin.krl@btconnect.com