When customers send us documents for destruction or recycling removing plastic wallets is part of the service we provide. Sadly they're really difficult to recycle requiring high temperatures and a complex process. They're made of polypropylene which is possible to recycle in theory but in practice it doesn't happen very much. Here at Crow we haven't found anywhere that can take them. So instead if they don't contain any text, as these ones above don't, we give them away for reuse. Most people want to use them for their original purpose storing documents. There are a few other uses for them too. Here are some few ideas. Protecting printed out recipe sheets from spills and splashes in the kitchen Craft packs for kids for journeys or long waits - the ones open on one side are particularly useful for this and can take stickers, fake feathers, magazines and coloured paper. Toddler no mess finger painting. Put the paint inside, tape up the top and they can paint by running fingers on the outside of the plastic Toddler sensory toy. Fill with gel such as hand sanistiser and small beads, tape up and let the toddler play. Labelling storage boxes. Tape one on the side of the storage box and then it's easy to drop in a new label when the contents change Any more ideas please leave a comment. Thanks.    

If there's one thing the pandemic underlined at Crow it's how important we are to our volunteers. Our volunteers are returning gradually now we have reopened the warehouse with socially distanced measures in place. It's a staggered start working gradually up to our usual numbers to ensure our measures to keep everyone safe are working properly. As a general rule our volunteers don't chat about why they like volunteering here - they just get on with the job. But during the pandemic they, their relatives and their carers told us how important volunteering at Crow is. It has been a tough time for our volunteers. Most have a disability and some live in supported housing with help from carers. The pandemic took away the regular routine of helping out at Crow. Some had close relatives who were shielding. Those volunteers missed out on the visits and visiting they were used to. Some helped out from home. All were keen to come back as we made plans to reopen. At Crow we have taken a number of steps to make sure we are still here in the future for our volunteers. We closed temporarily at the height of lockdown and are no longer open Friday mornings - we're open Monday to Thursday now.  A discretionary grant from Coventry City Council has done much to help as well. So we're open to provide work placements for our volunteers by selling animal bedding, collecting and destroying confidential documents, collecting non confidential paper and processing cans for recycling.  

Crow Recycling including the Scrapstore is having a summer shutdown in August. The shutdown begins at 4pm on Thursday August 13 and ends at 9am on Tuesday September 1. Extra bags will be handed out to customers who need them for confidential and non confidential waste. At Crow there are only two full time staff. The rest of the work is done by volunteers and part time staff. Crow can't operate with just one full time staff member while the other is on annual leave. So Crow has a shutdown to allow both to take their annual leave. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Crow Recycling delivery van For the next few weeks Crow will be open Mondays to Thursdays but not Fridays. Crow's usual opening hours include Friday mornings but for the moment Crow will be closed all day on Fridays. The decision was taken by the charity's trustees in response to Coronavirus pressures. The impact of the pandemic has created a tough environment for small charities. The decision to close on Friday mornings as well as Friday afternoons is aimed at securing Crow's future. Our volunteers need us more than ever. Closing Friday mornings will help us make sure we can continue to provide our volunteers with work placements.  

CROW Recycling is now fully re-open and appointments are no longer required for Scrapstore visits within the opening hours of 9.30-3.30 Monday to Thursday and 9.30-12.30 on Fridays. However, as opening hours are subject to change based on demand for CROW's services, we reccomend phoning our office on 02476552444 before you visit. In order to maintain social distancing, only one household will be permitted upstairs to the Scrapstore at a time, and masks are encouraged. Scrapstore membership costs £10 per year. We look forward to seeing you soon!

At Crow Recycling we supply shredded paper packaging to help your mail order products arrive at the customer’s address in one piece. Crow Recycling’s shredded paper provides a cost effective and biodegradable alternative to plastic packaging helping make sure products don’t get damaged on the way. At Crow Recycling our machinery shreds and compressed used white office paper to create 30 kg bales. The paper is ideal for packaging everything from car parts to lighting products. Once at the destination the paper can be composted, used again as packaging or used for animal bedding.  The bales cost £8.60 including VAT and delivery in Coventry or Warwickshire. £8.60 is also the cost on collection from our warehouse in Hillfields, Coventry. For costs including delivery further afield contact Crow Recycling on 02476552444 or crow@talktalkbusiness.net. Crow Recycling is a registered charity providing work placements for disabled people. The packaging you buy is shredded and baled by disabled volunteers picking up work and life skills at our warehouse.

Do you need a one off waste paper collection? We can collection confidential documents from Coventry, Warwickshire and neighbouring counties for secure disposal. Collections of non confidential paper for recycling are also available. We can Crow Recycling we can also make regular collections or customers can bring their waste to us. Confidential waste is shredded at our warehouse in Orchard Housse, Sparkbrook Street, Hillfields, Coventry. Non confidential paper is sorted at our warehouse so it is ready to recycle off our premises. Crow Recycling is a registered charity. We provide a commercial service collecting and disposing of waste paper to help fund work placements for disabled people. For more information ring us on 02476552444 or e mail us at crow@talktalkbusiness.net.  

Crow will be open again on Wednesday July 1 after a temporary closure. Crow will open again on Wednesday July 1 for collections of waste paper and cans and delivery of shredded paper packaging and animal bedding. During the Crow closure the e mail address crow@talktalkbusiness.net will be checked regularly. The telephone may not be answered so e mail is the best way to get in touch. The Scrapstore is open for visits by appointment. To make an appointment to shop e mail Crow on crow@talktalkbusiness.net. Scrapstore members who are familiar with Scrapstore stock can e mail orders then visit the Scrapstore to pay and collect. The Scrapstore is a member only shop with a £10 annual membership fee. More information here.

Crow Recycling opened on Monday June 1 after a temporary closure. Crow's usual waste paper and can collections are back up and running. People can also drop off confidential waste paper for shredding and aluminium cans for recycling. The Scrapstore is not open. That's in line with government guidelines on non essential shops. From June 15 the Scrapstore will be open for customers to visit by appointment. To make an appointment e mail crow@talktalkbusiness.net nearer the time. Crow Recycling's paid staff will be running the warehouse and collections. Volunteers are not yet working with us in the warehouse. Crow's trustees have taken to the decision to open on Monday June 1 but will be closing again at the end of the day on Thursday June 4 due to Coronavirus pressures. Crow will then reopen at the beginning of July apart from the Scrapstore which will be open by appointment from June 15. That means we are encouraging customers who need our services to contact us by e mail or phone, as soon as possible so that we can plan our schedule of work. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding at this difficult time. The Crow Recycling e mail is crow@talktalkbusiness.net. The telephone number is 02476552444.

Crow Recycling is closing temporarily from lunch time on Friday April 16 due to the pressures of the coronavirus outbreak. Crow's education development worker Lucy Lynch said: "We haven't got a reopening date yet. When we do we will post on this blog so please keep an eye out here. The closure is only temporary so don't forget about us - we're looking forward to being up and running again when times get better." There will be nobody available to answer the telephone but e mails will be checked at least weekly. Anyone who needs to get in touch during the closure should e mail crow@talktalkbusiness.net. Warehouse volunteers were sent home at the beginning of the outbreak and will not be asked to come back until the danger is over. The Scrapstore closed several weeks ago. The warehouse closed to visitors soon afterwards. Operations were reduced to deliveries of shredded paper bedding, collection, sorting and baling of used cans, waste paper collection and destruction of confidential waste paper.