Hull ScrapStore: ‘An Aladdin’s Cave of crafting treasures’

‘WE GET HUNDREDS OF VISITORS A WEEK’: ScrapStore manager Tracey Thomas

Now & Then, a column by Angus Young

The city recycling charity unlike any other in the region

Running a small charity can be a tough challenge at the best of times.

But when the organisation happens to be based in a 146-year-old building, the task is even harder.

For manager Tracey Thomas and her four-strong team of part-time staff as well as a small band of volunteers at Hull ScrapStore, it’s a labour of love.

Originally set up in 1988, the art and crafts resource centre can be found inside a former Victorian board school in Dairycoates Avenue in West Hull.

The striking red-brick landmark was built by the Newington School Board in 1879 with separate areas for boys, girls and infants.

With its Gothic-style design complete with turrets, large decorative stone-framed windows and even a bell tower, it’s a world away from the architecture associated with modern primary schools.

It survived as a school – latterly known as Somerset Street School – until the 1980s when it briefly became an adult education centre.

Having initially been based in the Boulevard, ScrapStore relocated there in 1991 and it’s been home from home ever since.

The charity leases the building from Hull City Council on a peppercorn rent but remains responsible for its upkeep.

“Despite being so old it’s in relatively good condition but keeping it warm is a problem because heating is so expensive,” says Tracey.

“There are a lot of windows which are quite draughty so we’ve done our best to seal them up over the years.

“Fortunately, it’s quite a sturdy building and the roof is in good nick. We’re also quite lucky in that we don’t get a lot of vandalism.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: The charity specialises in recycling materials for arts and crafts

Perhaps it’s because ScrapStore has become a much-loved Hull institution over the years, something of a hidden gem unlike anything else in the city or the wider region.

The charity specialises in recycling a wide variety of materials for art and craft projects, much of it donated by local companies.

As I arrive for our interview, Tracey has just helped a man unload a car full of items into a shopping trolley she is now manoeuvring through the main door.

“He’s come all the way from Scunthorpe, bless him,” she says.

Asked to pick one firm out for outstanding support over the years, she doesn’t hesitate to namecheck Hull-based paper manufacturer G.F. Smith. “They have been absolutely brilliant.”

As well as paper and rolls of cardboard, the aisles in ScrapStore bulge with everything from donated paint to all manner of unwanted packaging just waiting to be transformed into something else.

HISTORIC: The former Victorian board school in Dairycoates Avenue

For £6, you can fill a shopping basket with as many recycled goods as you can carry from the barrels of items packed together in the old school assembly hall.

Elsewhere, there’s a large section stocked with individually-priced items including more specialist arts and craft materials and an old classroom devoted entirely to fabric and haberdashery.

It’s probably the most colourful interior of any building in Hull.

“As well as the heating, one of the big challenges is keeping things tidy. We get so much stuff that keeping on top of it and sorting everything is really a full-time job,” says Tracey, who joined the charity 20 years ago.

In its early years, ScrapStore operated a membership scheme for people to join if they wanted access to its Aladdin’s Cave of crafting treasures. These days, anyone can pop in to  browse or pick up a bargain.

“We get around 800 people in a week which is pretty good considering we’re only open for four hours, five days a week,”  says Tracey.

HANDS ON: Customers browse the goods

“They come from all over the place. We get a lot from over the bridge in Lincolnshire, we’ve even had people come as far away as Middlesbrough.”

However, the world of ScrapStore isn’t just about having a good rummage.

The charity also runs regular creative workshops and school holiday activity sessions, hosts childrens’ parties and organises visits to schools for creative activity sessions.

A lot of this work depends on securing funding, another ongoing challenge in these days of tightening purse strings.

A recent example was a funding award to run a craft-making session as part of the South Blockhouse heritage project being overseen by the city council.

“Overall, we are quite lucky because we are reasonably self-sufficient financially,” says Tracey. “As a team we tend to just roll our sleeves up and get on with it even if that means going above and beyond and I include our volunteers in that.

“Ideally, we could do with more people coming forward to volunteer because they free up time for the rest of us to do more.”

‘EVERYONE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND’: The ScrapStore team

Rental income from other tenants in the building also helps keep the charity ticking over.

Long-term tenants include Liz Dees and her street theatre company Apus, and children’s shadow puppet theatre company Indigo Moon.

Joining them more recently is Keith Holmes, who runs his own arts performance company Proper Creationz having already chalked up an appearance on TV’s Britain’s Got Talent.

There’s also a small community hub offering a warm space for people to pop in, have a cuppa, make new friends and learn new skills.

Without making much of a song and dance about it, ScrapStore is now probably one of Hull’s most successful grassroots-based arts and craft organisations. There is simply nothing like it elsewhere in the city or the wider region.

“The nearest place like ours is in Selby, beyond that there are others in Leeds and Nottingham,” says Tracey.

“We all do things slightly differently to each other but most of us are also part of Reuseful UK which is the national network for scrapstores like us.

“Being part of Reuseful is good for sharing ideas and information as well as best practice.”

As we come to the end of our interview, more people walk through the door. It’s an early Monday morning and the place is already busy.

“Just how we like it,” says Tracey.