ESS Defence, specialist provider of foodservice and facilities management to military establishments across the UK, has collaborated with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to support the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and youth charity Oarsome Chance.
Last year, RNRMC launched a line of sustainable upcycled products in partnership with the Royal Navy and Oarsome Chance. The initiative sees old Royal Navy life rafts, that would otherwise have ended up in landfill, repurposed into one-of-a-kind bags by Oarsome Chance and sold by RNRMC, with the charities splitting the proceeds.
ESS team members from the South West region recently joined DIO colleagues in Portsmouth, to work through the task of dismantling old life rafts and sorting them into component parts. Oarsome Chance will now transform the materials into items including laptop cases, tote bags, holdalls, backpacks and business card holders.
Each item in the collection is made in Oarsome Chance’s fully equipped studio, where students with special educational needs are involved with the design and construction of the products through the charity's specialist in-house training programme.
The finished products are available to purchase on the RNRMC website at Shop | The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity
The project has been driven by former warrant officer Bob Field, now Head of Supporter Services and Operations for RNRMC, who commented at the product launch:
“I knew from my last job in The Royal Navy that the MOD disposed of disused items in varying ways, including some going to landfill at a cost. With the help of my colleagues, I thought there’s got to be a creative solution here. Through this project we’ve managed to take difficult or impossible to recycle materials, materials destined for a landfill, and make incredible products with new value.”
Andy Rees, Business Director for ESS Defence in the South West, commented:
“We had a brilliant day working with our colleagues from DIO and representatives from RNRMC and Oarsome Chance. Breaking down the old life rafts was hard work, but the team spirit was fantastic throughout and it was great to be supporting two charities, while repurposing materials that would have been sent to landfill. We are looking forward to future opportunities to support the project.”
ESS enjoys a longstanding relationship with the RNRMC which is the principal charity of the Royal Navy, and exists to support sailors, marines and their families for life.
Oarsome Chance is a charity bringing about change for young people with special education needs in the Gosport, Havant and wider areas.
