Reuse shop is open after revamp
A new upcycling and reuse shop has been launched in Killin, dedicated to reducing waste in the village.
Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed officially opened the shop last Friday.
The Reuse Shop is a relaunch of The Thrift Shop in The Old Mill and has been combined with the Recykillin tool library to encourage people to fix and upcycle items and generally reduce waste.
The MSP joined the project’s organisers and pupils from Killin Primary School to open the shop and congratulate the community for their efforts.
Supported by the Killin and Ardeonaig Community Development Trust (KAT), the site was transformed in under three weeks and saw a large number of people from the village donating all sorts of items from paint for the walls to mannequins for display. A local builder built a ramp for disabled access and a local carpet fitter donated flooring for the shop.
Project volunteer Eleanor Murray, said:“We’ve had an enormous amount of support from people in the village, who are delighted to see the shop open and bring more life and activity in the Main Street.
“Lots of people have offered to volunteer and have been in sorting clothes, toys and bric-a-brac. We have also had lots of materials donated, including a large offcut of vinyl to fix the floor of the tool library, and the ramp was made from leftover wood donated by the Killin Music Festival.
“Putting together the Reuse Shop and Recykillin has been a perfect example of community action. So many people have got involved in different ways to make this happen, the support has been tremendous.
“The shop will be a resource for everyone, to help us all reduce waste in different ways. We are planning to encourage people to mend and upcycle clothing and make items from unwanted materials such as planters from old pallets. It will also be a place to pop in for a chat and just to see what’s going on. All the team behind this project are grateful to KAT for supporting our ideas and it is exciting to see it all happening.”
MSP Evelyn Tweed said:“I was honoured to open the Reuse Shop, alongside Killin Primary School pupils, last week. Local projects like this are the bedrock of a thriving community and its inspiring to see how many local people have come together to get it off the ground.
“With climate change and the cost of living such pertinent issues in our everyday lives, projects that seek to upcycle and reduce waste are truly worth every bit of support. A huge well done to every person involved in this brilliant project. I look forward to seeing all the workshops and amazing plans the shop has in store come to life.”