FST SMaRT Project

A new, unique and exciting innovation the Socially Minded and Responsible Trading (SMaRT) Vehicle Recycling project in partnership with local agencies.
GOVERNMENT FUNDING GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO CAR RECYCLING AND SOCIAL PROJECT

The Salford area will be the first to benefit from a new initiative which has the dual purpose of getting abandoned vehicles off the street and providing much-needed employment to local socially disadvantaged people, thanks to Government funding through the Invest to Save Fund announced in the Budget yesterday (16 th March, 2005).

The scheme - the first of its kind in Europe - will utilise the process of recycling end of Life Vehicles (ELV) to create sustainable jobs and relevant training for local people excluded because of mental health problems, drug and alcohol misuse, learning disabilities and other disadvantages.

Cleaner streets and a half million pound saving

First Step Trust (FST), will run the Socially Minded and Responsible Trading (SMaRT) vehicle recycling project in partnership with local agencies.

The one and a half million pound Government funding will allow First Step Trust to get the project off the drawing board and help attract the additional funding needed to set up the Salford project and then to extend the initiative to other sites across the UK.

Keith Hill, Minister of State for Housing and Planning with special responsibility for dealing with the problem of abandoned vehicles underlined the importance of the scheme:

“Dealing with abandoned cars is a key element of the Government’s TOGETHER campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour and I am delighted that we can kick-start the SMaRT scheme with Invest To Save funding. This imitative is a perfect example of involving local people in projects which benefit their own environment and which help address the problems the long-term unemployed and socially disadvantaged can face in finding work.”

The work will provide training and employment opportunities for some of the most disadvantaged people in the Salford area, as well as providing an environmental service for the local community. SMaRT will be developed as a social enterprise and will seek to support its “graduates” to find work in a range of areas such as automotive trades - including mechanics and panel beating - plus catering and clerical work.

Other social commitments include a pledge by FST to provide a free “take back” service for people in the most deprived areas who often can’t afford the high costs involved in disposing of an unwanted vehicle. It is estimated that dealing with unwanted ELVs in this way will ensure there are at least 500 fewer abandoned vehicles dumped on the streets of Salford - and less opportunities for the vandalism and arson they often attract.

The SMaRT concept was conceived and developed by First Step Trust and has been developed over the past three years with extensive support and guidance from the Co-Operative Bank; Co-Operative Insurance Society; Salford Primary Care Trust; Bolton, Salford and Trafford NHS Trust , European Metal Recycling Limited and Precise Communications.

Ronnie Wilson, Joint Chief Executive of First Step Trust, commented:

“We had invaluable help developing this concept but it needed a significant financial boost to get it off the ground. The Government’s cash injection means we now have a significant chunk of the money we need and can get to work on the Salford scheme. We will be soon be able to announce the launch of the second project, in the South-East, as part of what we hope will be a nation-wide spread”

First Step Trust’s first action will be to find a suitable local site where the ELV can be taken, de-polluted and dismantled, so components such as metal, glass, tyres and refurbishable spare parts can be recycled or re-used.

A step closer to meeting EU requirements, whilst benefiting local communities

Dealing with unwanted vehicles is not just an unpleasant and costly irritation – an EU directive now requires that 85% of parts and materials from scrap vehicles is re-used or recovered by 2006, rising to 95% by 2015.

Initiatives such as SMaRT can make a significant contribution to achieving such targets, at the same time as making streets cleaner and safer and providing training and employment for socially disadvantaged people – lightening the financial and social burden for local councils and communities.

Precise Communications Press Release>>>

Guardian Article (30 March 2005) >>>