# Turning leftover event materials into donations to charities - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2021/05/26/turning-leftover-event-materials-into-donations-to-charities/ - Published: 2021-05-26T00:10:46+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake **The events industry generates a good deal of waste, so a new initiative is helping to reduce this waste and at the same time benefit good causes. Event Cycle repurposes surplus event items which are no longer needed by organisers and redistributes them to charities and community groups, and back into the events industry.** Carina Jandt and Chantal Kerr-Sheppard founded [Event Cycle](http://www.eventcycle.org) this year to tackle the problem of single-use event materials such as furnishings, building materials, graphics, props and branded merchandise going to landfill after events. They describe the service as the first of its kind that directly connects the events industry to the not-for-profit sector. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/) > Taking what would be waste from one industry and giving it a second, useful life > in another > Event Cycle Timing matters, so the founders hope to create a new norm for sustainable practices ready for when business events and conferences resume again this year. They want to lead the events industry “into a circular economy where landfill waste is reduced and by doing so a social impact is made.” Event Cycle offers charities a way to request material items which are then given to them for free when an event nearby has the items available. Because events tend to generate an array of different items and materials from flat- pack furniture, to build materials and plants, in all kinds of quantities, “no request is too wild”. * ![Find a home for your furniture with Event Cycle - illustration from Event Cycle]( https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-rehoming-furniture-1024x1024. png) * Find a home for your events furniture with Event Cycle * ![Illustration of used food and drink packaging from Event Cycle](https://wfay6x. infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-rehoming-food-drink-1024x1024.png) * Don’t let it go to waste – redistribute and repurpose your event’s food and drink via Event Cycle * ![Illustration from Event Cycle - give your leftover event gift bags to us to redistribute](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-rehoming- gift-bags-1024x1024.png) * Give your leftover goody bags to us at Event Cycle * ![Graphic illustrating how to turn your event textiles into donations - image: Event Cycle](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-rehoming- materials-1024x1024.jpg) * Turning your event textiles into donations * ![](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-rehoming-lecterns- 1024x1024.jpg) * Stages, lecterns and backdrops can be donated to theatres via Event Cycle Carina Jandt said: > “Having worked in several streams of the event industry we have both seen the > amount of good quality items leftover at the end of events. Some are put in skips > onsite and some are transported to storage with good intentions of reuse but they > are often forgotten about and put in skips offsite.” Chantal Kerr-Sheppard added: > “And through our volunteering we have seen the demand for more than just volunteers > and monetary donations. It’s here we’ve made the crucial connection and found > a solution between what charities need and what events waste.. Now is the time > to build back better and consider our options for a more sustainable, socially > responsible, future in the events industry.” ![Charity spotlight - examples of how Brixton Chamber Orchestra have benefited from Event Cycle](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/05/event-cycle-brixton-chamber- orchestra-1024x1024.jpg) Brixton Chamber Orchestra have benefited from Event Cycle Briony Leivers, a Production Manager with over 10 years in live events welcomed the services of Event Cycle. She said: > “The event industry over the years has been crying out for a more sustainable > way of working, with Event Cycle this is a massive step forward for the industry. > I know I will certainly be utilising the service and recommending to our clients > moving forward.” > Youth groups, Scouts and schools are all in need of toys and games. Give your > leftover giveaways or props to us and we will make sure they have a longer life > away from landfill. > "Life's only worth living if you're being loved by a kid." > Buzz Lightyear. [#wastefreewednesday](https://twitter.com/hashtag/wastefreewednesday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/WEEIg25QFI](https://t.co/WEEIg25QFI) > — EventCycle (@EventCycleUK) [March 17, 2021](https://twitter.com/EventCycleUK/status/1372140662087368706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)