Congratulations to local organisation, FRADE

Huge congratulations to local charity FRADE from Stockton Liberal Democrats.

FRADE have had national recognition for the work that they do, and were shortlisted to be in the top 4 of the National Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management https://www.awardsforexcellence.co.uk/ "The most prestigious event in the environmental calendar".

FRADE (Furniture Reclamation and Delivery Enterprise) will collect items that are no longer needed that are good quality and in working order from people. FRADE then sells the items in its shops in Stockton, Darlington, and Middlesbrough. There is a discount for those who are buying, and are in need.

We are very proud that the FRADE beginnings were from Julia Cherrett, (then Roberts, and now the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bishopsgarth and Elm Tree), a young mum who saw that there was a need, and started off the project in her own home, in 1990. It took a lot of hard work and determination from Julia, but she eventually got funding from City Challenge to get everything off to a business like footing, with premises.

Things have moved on, and FRADE is an independent charity now, and has premises in Prince Regent Street in Stockton, and there are branches in Darlington and Middlesbrough, with a successful "Men's Shed" in the latter.

The principles of FRADE are ones that we, as Liberal Democrats, strongly believe in too.

• They help those in need (over 11,000 households last year)
• They help the environment (257 tonnes were saved from going to landfill last year)
• They help people to get back into employment by providing volunteering opportunities (16,600 volunteers last year).

So congratulations again to FRADE, and thank you to Julia Cherrett whose vision, hard work, and determination started it.