Rugby's Dunelm runs trial scheme to encourage people to pass on unwanted items

You can find Rugby Dunelm's 'Pass it on' stand just inside the main doors as you leave the store.

The four – dotted across the country – are testing Home to Home, a homewares ‘pass it on’ scheme that encourages shoppers to pass on pre-loved items, to be donated onwards to families and individuals in the community.

The idea has been eveloped in collaboration with environmental charity, Hubbub. It aims to offer customers a new way of passing on household items by inviting them to take their pre-loved items directly into store, after which they will be sorted and re-distributed.

This will be led by Emmaus Coventry and Warwickshire, which supports community groups who distribute food to families in need by providing regular deliveries of food from a supermarket that is reaching its sell-by-date and and would otherwise go to waste.

It is working with Dunelm to provide kitchenware and home-furnishing items for those community groups to distribute.

CEO Julian Price said: “We’re looking forward to working with Dunelm on this project. The household goods we receive will be passed on to foodbanks and church groups who work with low income families to provide food and other essentials. It is a great opportunity to make a big difference to our local community.”

The store is accepting homeware items from any retailer including kitchenware and home decor items like clocks, mirrors, throws, curtains, cushions and small storage items.

Store manager Aimee Smith added: “We're delighted to be part of Dunelm’s Home to Home trial stores and to be able to provide our customers with an accessible solution to see their no longer needed homeware items purposefully recycled, as well as supporting local families and individuals.”

The store is also hosting a free swap, buy-and-sell add-on to its Facebook community group which will allow members to swap or buy/sell preloved items online.

Both schemes will run alongside Dunelm’s existing sustainability initiatives, including its Textile Takeback scheme which has already seen 405 tonnes of unwanted fabric donated by customers since it launched last year.