Grant puts gloss on paint recycling enterprise

Grant puts gloss on paint recycling enterprise14 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJohn Devinein MarchJohn Devine/BBCNikki Digiovanni said rising prices on the High Street were forcing people to shop differentlyA social enterprise that helps people decorate their homes with recycled paint, repurposed furniture and recycled materials has been awarded a £400,000 National Lottery grant to help it expand its services. Development director Nikki Digiovanni said the grant was a "game changer" for Remo, based in March, Cambridgeshire, which was set up about 20 years ago. "The funding will allow me to employ more staff [and] it will mean we can be open seven days a week," Digiovanni said. The money will be released to Remo over five years. John Devine/BBCUsed paint is recycled and can be bought at a fraction of the cost of new potsDigiovanni lived in temporary housing when she was younger and she was not allowed to decorate her property, but when she moved to a permanent address she was eager to get a paintbrush out. "The paint, even then, was so expensive," she said. "I had to get an extra Saturday job to be able to afford to freshen up my home." That was the catalyst for the paint recycling enterprise and helping to make it more affordable for people. John Devine/BBCThe facility includes a woodwork shop, a pottery studio and a digital loungeDo you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Related storiesFree paint recycling shop aims to tackle wastePaint recycling scheme started in DevonRelated internet linksRemoRecyclingMarchCost of Living Cambridgeshire