Exeter charity gives new life to mobility equipment through recycling partnership

The Four R's Project, run by Exeter charity Exe Access, is celebrating the continued success of its partnership with SUEZ, which has helped it restore and redistribute more mobility equipment than ever before.

Established in 2012 and managed by Exe Access, formally known as Exeter Community Transport Association, the project repairs, refurbishes and recycles abandoned mobility equipment, including scooters, wheelchairs, walkers and crutches. Once restored, the items are passed on to disabled and elderly people on low incomes to help improve their independence and quality of life.

Since joining forces with SUEZ, the project has seen a marked increase in the volume of equipment it is able to recover and refurbish, particularly mobility scooters, devices that can be costly to buy new but are often life-changing for their users.

Volunteers drive the day-to-day work of the project, which aims to tackle both environmental waste and social inequality by ensuring usable equipment does not end up in landfill.

Rob Sanders, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: "By helping to recover mobility equipment that would otherwise be destroyed, we are not only protecting valuable resources but also supporting the independence of those who need it most."

The project now operates an electric collection van and an in-house workshop staffed by engineers, allowing it to collect, restore and quality-check items more efficiently. Every piece of equipment redistributed is inspected before being made available at an affordable cost.

Christian Walsh, Manager at Exe Access, said: "Their support has enabled us to prevent valuable equipment from going to waste while empowering people in our community to lead safer, more independent lives."