A collective of Sunderland’s most eco-conscious businesses are coming together for a brand-new event celebrating sustainability, creativity and community.
The Waste Not Eco Fair will take place in the Keel Square Pavilion on Friday, 22 March from 10am until 4pm, offering visitors the chance to learn new skills, take part in upcycling and eco-friendly workshops, and connect with local makers and businesses leading the way in sustainable living.
The free event, part of the Culture House pre-opening programme, is UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funded and aims to support initiatives within the city. It is being led by Reinvented With Friends CIC, a Sunderland-based social enterprise dedicated to tackling furniture waste through upcycling and reupholstery, in partnership with Culture House Sunderland.
The event was born following an appeal by Culture House Sunderland, with founder Ali Williams from Reinvented With Friends proposing the idea and rallying like-minded businesses to take part.
Ali Williams, founder of Reinvented With Friends CIC, said: “The Waste Not Eco Fair is a brilliant opportunity to bring people together to share skills, ideas, and creativity while promoting sustainability.
“Sunderland has so many amazing businesses doing great things in sustainability, and this event is a great way to showcase their work and inspire more people to get involved. I work alone a lot, so I love collaborating with others and it’s fantastic to create something that encourages community spirit.”
Reinvented with Friends CIC was set up with support from the North East BIC and now operates from their premises, allowing Ali to expand her social enterprise and bring her passion for sustainability to the wider community.
The event will feature hands-on activities such as upcycling textiles and furniture, making green cleaning products, and even creating micro composters and eco coffins.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet experts in sustainable living, learn practical techniques to reduce waste in everyday life, and explore how small life changes can make a big environmental impact.
The event is also an opportunity for local businesses and community organisations to showcase their work and engage with like-minded individuals.
Dead Good CIC, Just Let your Soul Grow CIC, Eco Connect North East CIC, Delightfully Denim, and LG Designer Maker CIC will also be in attendance.
Cllr Beth Jones, portfolio holder for Communities Culture and Tourism, said: “The Waste Not Eco Fair is a fantastic opportunity to bring sustainability to life in a fun and creative way. We’re thrilled to see local businesses come together and share their expertise and encourage people to rethink waste.
“This is exactly the kind of community-driven initiative that Culture House Sunderland aims to support, and we hope to see it develop into a regular fixture.”
Culture House Sunderland – a multi-purpose cultural venue, aiming to create a living room in the heart of the city where everyone feels welcome and loves to spend time – will open in Keel Square this autumn. The venue will be home to the City Library, and will be packed with interactive, digital, educational features, with a year-round programme of things to do and see.
The Waste Not Eco Fair is being supported by Sunderland City Council, recognising the importance of promoting sustainable initiatives that align with the city’s wider environmental goals.
For more information about the Waste Not Eco Fair, click here.
This project is funded by Sunderland City Council and by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
