The idea for the Cone Exchange was born when Chris Powell, who at the time worked in the Taylors tea production hall, was showing a group of children around the tea and coffee factory and one of the children saw a cardboard cone being put into the recycling bin and asking if they could take it home to make a Christmas angel. The idea of reusing a waste item to create something new sparked the concept for the Cone Exchange as a unique place to take waste and turn it into ‘treasure’, raising funds for local good causes and creating a sense of community and new skills for all those involved.
“From that first spark of the idea for the Cone Exchange, our aim has always been to release the potential of things that others might see as waste, and seeing the ability, not disability, in people…”
Chris Powell
Over the last twenty years, the Cone Exchange has evolved from its original home in the grounds of Springwater School to a ‘crafty scrap store’ on the outskirts of the Bettys & Taylors Plumpton Park site in Harrogate. The Cone Exchange now collects waste from other businesses and the wider community, raising funds that are then donated to local charities and grassroots groups, such Horticap and the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust.
Chris Powell, now the Cone Exchange Events & Education Co-ordinator, has been a key figure in the growth of the project. Chris is passionate about promoting the reduce, reuse, recycle message, particularly amongst school children and young people, and has worked with over 200 schools, playgroups, churches and community groups, as well as attending events, such as the Great Yorkshire Show.
Through its extensive connections, the Cone Exchange has brought together a diverse range of groups and people, to help make an impact in the local community. Examples include supporting tree planting initiatives with the Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust over the last five years, as well as working with warm space projects and groups. Most recently, the project has supported Peace of Mind North East, to provide refugees and asylum seekers with knitted hats, scarves, blankets and children’s clothing created by a group of Cone Exchange volunteers and customers using materials sourced from the shop.
Along with the Cone Exchange shop, the project also supports social enterprises and charities by meaningful work experience for young people with additional learning needs who typically visit one day a week and help with a variety of tasks which build their confidence, communication skills, self-esteem and self-worth.
Speaking about the anniversary, Chris Powell reflects: “From that first spark of the idea for the Cone Exchange, our aim has always been to release the potential of things that others might see as waste, and seeing the ability, not disability, in people. By encouraging the reuse and repurposing of items that some might consider ‘trash’ into treasure, we try to capture people’s imaginations and show them how they can make a difference to protect the planet and raise funds for local good causes. I don’t think any of us ever imagined how far-reaching our impact would be so it’s lovely to celebrate and thank so many of our key partners and supporters from the last two decades.”
