Green champion: Earthlink head Shirley Cressy with just a few of the many donated or salvaged items that will soon go on sale at the Eastern Hutt Road outlet.
The council-supported charity this month shifted its operations into premises at 22 Eastern Hutt Road, Wingate. It was previously based in Upper Hutt.
Shirley says the former Todd Motors building offers 2,500 square metres of space and also has far greater exposure to passing traffic as well as being more conveniently located for clients.
Earthlink offers a wide range of services, from lawn-mowing, gardening, firewood delivery and waste collection through to lesser-known services such as its curtain bank (free second-hand curtains to Community Service Card holders and a small charge to low-income earners) and the rapidly growing area of recycling.
It also offers support and work for people with learning disabilities, mental health issues and drug and alcohol dependency.
Shirley sees growth areas in street collections and the recycling of electronic waste, particularly televisions now that the Wellington area is set to switch off its analogue network. Though dismantling electrical equipment is a labour-intensive business, it does not take long to accumulate saleable quantities of plastics and metals.
A recycling shop will soon get going at the Wingate premises, stocked with donated goods and bric-a-brac salvaged from recycling bays at the Silverstream landfill.
Until the end of July the shop will continue to operate from 26 Goodshed Road, Maidstone.