Stroud District Furniture Bank

AFFORDABLE microloans will help furnish the homes of local people in need.

Stroud District Furniture Bank has set up an agreement with Save’n’borrow (Stroud Valleys Credit Union) that will enable local people in need to buy quality used furniture on short term loans, with all interest being paid by the Furniture Bank.

“This is a huge breakthrough,” says Jo Mansell, Manager, Stroud District Furniture Bank, “and will enable many of those most in need to furnish their homes – and not go into expensive debt.

“While the furniture we supply is made available at an affordable cost, many families and individuals need multiple items and do not have the available money to buy what they need,” she says.

“This new arrangement is quick, straightforward – and overcomes all the hurdles people face.

“Referrers – organisations who recommend that we provide an individual or family with low cost furniture that has been donated - fill in a form over the phone and we pass it onto Credit Union for approval.

Once approved, the customer visits their local Credit Union branch in Stroud or Dursley and signs the form.

We then deliver the furniture as soon as we receive the Credit Union Cheque.

“The whole process can take as little as two weeks and customers can borrow as little as £30.”

“Most importantly,” says Jo “because the interest is being paid by the Furniture Bank, with no set up fees, we are able to offer a favourable alternative to pay day loan companies.”

Stroud District Furniture Bank, is a social enterprise using donated furniture to help the local community: they collect unwanted furniture and other household items and distribute them at a nominal cost to those in need throughout the Stroud district – often on flexible payment terms to help those living on a limited budget.

The Furniture Bank works in collaboration with the hugely popular Stroud District Foodbank and Stroud District Kids’ Stuff charities.

“The Furniture Bank services range from collecting a single sofa to whole house clearances, and those items that can be reused are then assured of a ‘good home’,” says Will Mansell, Director, Stroud District Furniture Bank “while we can also help dispose of any items that are no longer usable.”

“Our focus is simply to get the best quality furniture at the lowest cost to those that cannot afford the prices on the High Street, by offering local people a service to dispose of their unwanted furniture easily, while enabling them to contribute to local people in need.

For further information on the Stroud District Furniture Bank visit strouddistrictfurniturebank.org.uk, or call 01453 367260.