Give or Take Day
TOOLKIT
Welcome!
This kit includes samples to help you to run a successful Give or Take Day.
What’s inside?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Budget
Flyer
Press Release
I’m Already Taken Labels
Waste Facts
Translations
Goods In - Monitoring Form
Delivery Form
FAQ’s – Frequently Asked Questions
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
1. Budget
Item
Cost
Hall Hire
£200
Volunteer expenses
(Travel/refreshments)
£80
Printing and publicity
£250
Delivery of leaflets
£300
Van hire (two vans)
£150
Petrol/diesel
£75
Electrician
£250
Waste disposal (at end of day)
£100
Event Management
(time that lead organisation puts
in to co-ordinate the event)
£500
Notes
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
2. Flyer
[Name of organisation] are holding a
GIVE OR TAKE DAY
[insert date]
[insert time]
[insert venue, place name, etc]
What is a Give or Take Day?
A chance to get rid of things you don’t want any
more and pick up something you do!


What can I give?
Household and garden items like books, toys, bikes, tools,
kitchenware, small electrical items, paint(re-usable), bric-a-brac,
plants, furniture
What can I Take?
What you need and can use
Bring along unwanted items between 12 and 3pm
If you don’t have anything to bring then just bring yourself
and you might find something useful that you need
For more information, or if you need a large item collected,
please call: [insert number]
* Please do not bring clothes or electrical items.
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
3. Press Release
For immediate release
[Date]
[Date and Time of Event]
[Heading] A Bit Of Give And Take To Reduce Waste
Looking for a wardrobe? Got a sofa you no longer want? Want to swap spare spoons for
a new necklace? [Insert group name] are holding a Give or Take Day at [insert venue
name and borough or suburb] on [insert date].
Give or Take Days are a community waste exchange event – a chance for people to get
rid of furniture and bric-a-brac they don’t need and to pick up something they do need.
And it’s all free! By re-using things instead of throwing them away, we save on landfill
space, reduce fly tipping and help to save valuable resources. Give or Take Days also
offer people on low incomes the chance to pick up household items they may need.
As well as furniture and bric-a-brac, there will be [insert more info about your particular
event – e.g. stalls, guest speakers].
[Insert name of person from your organisation and their job title] says, ‘we throw away far
too many items that could be re-used or recycled, which means that our landfill sites are
nearly at capacity and incinerators are unnecessarily burning materials that give off
noxious fumes. We can all make an effort to re-use items instead of throwing them away.’
ENDS
For further information please contact:
[insert name of person to contact, phone number, fax number, email address]
Notes to editors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sentence about your organisation.
Background facts & figures (see Waste figures attached)
Sources of any facts/figs contained in the body of the release.
Practical details for reporters/photographers attending the event.
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
4. I’m already Taken Labels
I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
I’M ALREADY I’M ALREADY
TAKEN
TAKEN
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
5. Waste Facts

Every household in London produces over a tonne of waste per year.
(capitalwastefacts.com)

Almost 80% of municipal waste in England is sent to landfill sites,
compared with around 50% in France and 7% in Switzerland. England
recycles just 12% of its municipal waste, while Germany recycles 52% and the
Netherlands 47%. (Waste Not Want Not, Government Strategy Unit report, Nov 2002)

Any waste that is not recycled, re-used or composted is sent to landfill sites or
incinerators – both of which are environmentally hazardous.

The government aims to increase our recycling rate to 30% by 2010, but up to 80% of
waste can be re-used, recycled, or composted.

Managing waste is a big task with huge environmental and economic costs; local
authorities in London spent over £300 million tackling waste last year alone.
(capitalwastefacts.com)

Give or Take Days fit the aims of several recent reports designed to boost recycling
and give householders more flexibility over how they manage their waste. These
reports include: Waste Not Want Not (2003), the Mayor’s Municipal Waste
Management Strategy (2203) and the forthcoming National Resource and Waste
Forums’s report, Towards a UK Framework for Household Waste Prevention.
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
6. Translations
English
A Give or Take day is a swap event. Everything is free. Help yourself to any items
that you want but leave something for others. Large pieces of furniture can be
delivered to your home but delivery must take place today. The idea behind the day
is to encourage reuse to save precious resources and reduce waste and
to help those on low incomes
Hindi
Bengali
Urdu
Gujarati
Punjabi
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
7. Goods In - Monitoring Form
Type of Item
How many?
Books
Records/CDs/Tapes
Kitchenware
Paint
Small furniture
Plants
Garden stuff
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
8. Delivery Form
Number
1
2
3
4
5
Description
Green sofa
Wooden dining table
Single bed
2 dining chairs
Green carpet
Delivery
24 High St
55 Acacia Avenue (with no.4)
See no.2
Taken – Forest Rd
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan
9. FAQ’s
Not everyone has been to a Give or Take Day before. Here are the answers to some
common Give or Take Day questions.
GENERAL

What is a Give or Take Day?
A Give or Take Day is a waste exchange event; a chance to get rid of things you don’t
need any more and pick up something you do need. All for free!

Where does the idea come from?
The idea originates in Europe. In many European countries, like Germany for
example, a certain day each month is set aside for the collection of unwanted
furniture. Householders simply put the items outside their houses and it’s widely
accepted that people can help themselves. Refuse trucks come along at the end of
the day to collect the bits and pieces that are left over.

Why do we do it?
1. Its good for the environment
By re-using things we reduce the amount of natural resources such as oil, minerals,
water and wood that we use. We also reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill
sites or to incinerators.
2. Its good for your pocket
No-one is made of money, so exchanging things in this way helps us all to save a bit
of money.
ON THE DAY

Why don’t you take clothes?
There are lots of other organisations that take clothes. If you have clothes you want to
pass on, we recommend taking them to your local charity shop. To find you nearest
charity shop visit www.charityshops.org.uk

Whys don’t you take electrical items?
For safety reasons – if things are donated to us we can’t guarantee that they work
properly or are safe to use. We don’t want to be responsible for any accidents.

Is there anything else I should NOT bring?
We only want things that other people can use. We are NOT a waste disposal service!
For information on how to dispose of genuine waste, please call your local council.
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan

If I bring things, who do I give them to?
All of our volunteers will be wearing badges, so you can give it to one of them and
they will put it in the right place for you.

Do I just help myself to what I want?
If it’s a small item on the table then just help yourself - BUT please don’t be greedy,
leave something for others.
If you want one of the large items of furniture, tell the person at the desk what the
number of the item is and they will arrange delivery if you need it. Large items will be
delivered on the same day as we don’t have any storage space.
AFTER

What happens to the money if I give a donation?
Any donations go towards the next event - OR – We donate the money to a charity.

If there’s stuff left over, what do you do with it?
We take it to the local charity shop OR We store it until the next event OR We will be
giving it to a jumble sale
Give or Take Day Toolkit
Prepared by Forest Recycling Project, Women’s Environmental Network & Global Action Plan