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Projects for training in the North West

The Royal Engineers unit of the TA are looking for projects to test their skills on. They have experience in constructing numerous plant orientated projects including car parks, roads, earthworks for playgrounds and football pitches and they recently helped demolish a Scout Hut in Walsall.

The TA trains at weekends. Scout Groups or Camp sites will have to supply any materials required and will also be required to arrange appropiate insurance cover.

The 75th Engineer Regiment RE (V) is based in Manchester and has squadrons in Liverpool, Walsall and Stoke on Trent. All projects have to be cleared by the MOD, so sufficient notice is required. Initial enquires should be made to:-

Sgt. Jason Shawcross
125 (Stafordshire) Field Support Squadron
Royal Engineers (Volunteers)
Baskeyfield House
Anchor Road
Longton, Stoke on Trent
ST3 5BL
Telephone 07989 050722

Community RePaint is an award-winning national network of 70 paint reuse schemes. Individual schemes collect "half-tins" of leftover, domestic paint from householders and unsold paint and damaged tins from local DIY outlets, trade centres and painters and decorators.

This paint is then sorted and stored at the scheme's premises and then redistributed to community and voluntary groups, individuals in social need and charities. Paint is usually offered free of charge although schemes encourage small financial donations to help cover their costs.

To get paint for your redecoration project log onto www.communityrepaint.org.uk or email repaint@resourcefutures.co.uk to find your nearest scheme.

In 2006, Community RePaint schemes across the UK redistributed over 208,000 litres of leftover paint to 11,000 individuals and community groups in social need.

The AHF is a registered charity which helps to repair historic buildings. It provides loans for restoration and "it has loaned over £30m to about 400 projects, and helped many others with grants and advice" (www.ahfund.org.uk). Please visit their website for further information.