Show your support for the movement to reuse waste, reduce inequality and rebuild communities, by joining the ReSpace Alliance.
By joining as a Member you strengthen our network, lending your support to the growing movement. We'll send you inspiring monthly updates with news from across the Alliance, information about events and even handy diy tips to help reuse resources!
Social or public organisations can join the Alliance as a Builder, meaning they can take an active role in the Alliance, accessing or providing space, resources, skills and knowledge. This is for community groups, socially-minded venues or charities.
A Supporter membership is recommended for people or companies who would like to practically support the ReSpace Alliance with a yearly fee. This will be used to pay for 'district coordinators' in four initial trial boroughs in London. Coordinators obtain space and resources, for use by Builder members, helping to support a network of community projects, public spaces and the third sector.
The best thing about sharing empty buildings and surplus resources with communities, is that everyone benefits in the long run: Society grows stronger and more resilient when local people have access to space where they can organise, work, build, play and solve local issues.
Each of our 'respaced' community projects quickly became local hubs, hives of activity which supported local people, new businesses, after-school clubs, faith groups, soup kitchens, artists, musicians and families. These venues also save millions of pounds worth of resources from being discarded or wasted, from food and fabrics to equipment and building materials.
Reuse waste
The Alliance can help identify empty space and surplus resources, such as construction materials, food, equipment, textiles. Empty buildings awaiting redevelopment can be respaced, and unwanted furniture can be given away by companies, theatres, schools and councils; All put to better use in the hands of local communities.
This is an impactful and cost-free way for companies to demonstrate social responsibility, benefitting their own neighbourhoods.
Reduce inequality
The Alliance prioritises access to surplus resources by communities, third sector groups and those who most need them. Public access to community spaces helps to unlock talent, innovation, knowledge and skills, and promotes collaboration between diverse groups who share the space.
In the hands of communities, these 'wasted' resources become valuable communal assets. Such projects can easily save local people the cost of hiring space to the value of £500,000 a year, while also saving £30,000 worth of other resources. Or they can supply 100,000 free meals to people in need – all due to the fair and efficient sharing of surplus resources.
Rebuild communities
The Alliance supports mutual aid hubs, community projects and the third sector to collaborate and share resources more widely across their networks. This means more people can benefit from access to skills, advice, resources, equipment and space.
This structure helps to provide a form of safety net for community-led projects, the third sector, social enterprises and those in need. It facilitates mutual support between members, such as vehicle sharing, safeguarding advice, emergency storage space, gardeners or musicians.
Some project case studies:
These case studies show the range of benefits from a 'respaced' community project.
