2024
Supper’s Up soup kitchen launched – Offering people in need ‘dinner, community and opportunity’, our weekly soup kitchen was launched to plug a gap in provision in central Preston.
Second HMP Kirkham workshop opened – Allowing us to support a further 20 men at a time in the prison, and recycle tens of thousands more waste electrical items.
New prison partnership launched – Following the success of our adapted ‘bolt-on’ offering in four more prisons, we took this same offering into HMP Berwyn, a new ‘super prison’ in North Wales.
Alasdair Jackson awarded OBE – Our Chief Executive’s “services to the rehabilitation of offenders” were recognised in the New Years Honours list, earning him an OBE. Read more…
2023
Training offers developed – We developed two training offerings – bringing in an accredited instructor to deliver essential practical training for our teams and participants in-house, and harnessing the expertise of our Specialist Support team to offer accredited training to our partners and contacts externally.
ACE return to HMP Preston – After a period away, ACE’s team refreshed its relationships with HMP Preston to recommence offering ‘through the gate’ support for men due for release.
2022
ACE incorporated into the Charity – We welcomed this well-established project, previously run by Caritas Care, under the Recycling Lives umbrella to offer it greater longevity and broaden our own offering, allowing us to offer support opportunities for people with multiple and complex needs. Read more…
Prison programme expanded – National Lottery funding allowed us to expand and adapt our rehabilitation programme, creating a bolt-on support offering for men and women engaged in prison-led workshops in HMPs Wealstun, Humber, Hull (later closed), and Foston Hall (our second women’s prison).
Training Kitchen launched – Delivering cookery classes developed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, as part of his Ministry of Food programme, the kitchen means we can equip our programme participants, and others in the community, with kitchen skills, budgeting skills and nutritional knowledge. Read more…
2021
Bee Centre sponsored – We diversified our environmental efforts, donating to The Bee Centre to sponsor four hives within its apiaries in Lancashire, also allowing us to run team-building and wellbeing days at its facilities – and receive batches of honey harvested from our own hives.
Specialist Support team started – Recognising the need for expert support and signposting for many of our programme participants, we welcomed an accredited mental health professional to our team, soon growing Specialist Support to a team of three. Read more…
2020
RL1 recycling workshop opened – When lockdowns closed our prison-based recycling workshops, we opened a facility in central Preston, allowing us to continue fulfilling the commercial recycling contracts which sustain our finances. Read more…
2018
Chief Executive appointed – Having already overseen the Social Enterprise’s prison and rehabilitation operations for many years, Alasdair Jackson is appointed as Chief Executive.
Third Queen’s Award win – Recycling Lives was recognised with another Queen’s Award, this time in the Promoting Opportunity category. At the same time, the Recycling Lives business was also commended for International Trade.
2017
FareShare Lancashire & Cumbria – We soon expanded our food redistribution work, partnering with a community facility in Cumbria to support more groups. We now make daily deliveries to bases across the county.
Two more prison workshops opened – We adapted our workshop model in HMPs Dovegate and Lincoln, opening a welding Academy in Dovegate and trialling a waste recycling model in Lincoln, though both were later closed due to prison logistics.
2016
First women’s workshop opened – HMP Styal became home to our first recycling workshop in a women’s prison. This opening also marked a first as its manager became the first ex-offender to become a paid employee within the same prison they had previously served time in.
2015
FareShare Lancashire launched – Our Food Redistribution Centre (a regional arm of national charity FareShare) is opened, initially serving communities across our home county. Read more…
2014-2018
Five more HMP Academies opened – The successes in HMP Kirkham led to workshops being opened in HMPs Lancaster Farms, Buckley Hall, Thorn Cross (later closed due to logistics), Hatfield and Sudbury – all men’s prisons across the North West and Midlands.
2014
Second Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development – Recycling Lives is commended with its second Queen’s Award this time recognising the impact of our recycling workshop in HMP Kirkham.
Release Potential team started – Recognising the additional needs of the men working in the prison workshop, we created a modest two-person team to offer ex-offenders ‘through the gate’ support for employment, housing and independence. This team is now 10-strong. Read more…
2013
Founder awarded OBE – Steve Jackson is recognised with an OBE, given for his “services to the community and employment”.
First HMP Academy opened – Engaging ex-offenders in HMP Kirkham in meaningful work recycling TVs, this was to be the first of 10+ prison-based recycling workshop. We already enjoyed a strong relationship with the prison, having offered ‘day release’ work placements to men for many years. Read more…
Recycling Lives (Social Enterprises) Ltd incorporated – This wholly owned, not-for-profit trading subsidiary of Recycling Lives Charity allows us to self-sustain our programmes financially.
2010
First Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development – Recycling Lives was recognised with a leading business award for its support for ex-offenders and men who have been homeless, and recycling work.
Fresh Start café launched – Serving local businesses and offering a community space within RL1, the café continues to offer training opportunities to participants of our programmes.
2009
Recycling Lives Centre (RL1) opened – Housing offices, a warehouse, community spaces and our residential facility – 12-bed supported accommodation offering en-suite bedrooms and living areas for men experiencing homelessness. Read more…
2008
Recycling Lives Charity founded – Steve Jackson OBE devised the concept for the charity after seeing the benefits of employing ex-offenders at his family-run recycling business in Preston.
