Richmond Furniture Scheme (RFS), a charity that has been running in the borough for over 30 years, is providing furniture to those in need around the borough.

The scheme started just over 30 years ago in Kew as a furniture reuse operation and then 25 years ago, as the services grew it moved to its current site at Fortescue Road and became the Richmond Funriture Scheme as it is today.

They collect furniture for free from around the borough of Richmond and use these donations to help those in need in our community by providing affordable, accessible furniture.  

They provide a 25% discount for people receiving state benefits (excluding child benefits), students, care leavers, carers and NHS workers and work under the aims of making homes, protecting the environment and building community 

Simon Westgarth, Chief Executive at RFS said: "There are quite a few areas of significant need in the Borough of Richmond. 

"You can look at Richmond and think it's quite well off and in comparison with a lot of other boroughs it is but that isn't to say there aren't people in the borough who need our help.

"There are also increasingly a number of people who are asset rich but cash poor, especially the elderly who may not be on the best of pensions.

"We help them by offering them a place to take donations if they are downsizing or having access to affordable items, especially in terms of things like appliances because just trying to replace an old appliance is horrendously expensive."

One of the workshops at Fortsecue Road. (Photo Credit: Heather Nicholls).

Simon added that as well as providing furniture the charity also provides a lot of volunteering opportunities. 

He said: "We cannot do what we do without the input of lots and lots of volunteers, the volunteers are fantastic. Last year we had 180 which is an amazing number.

"That ranges from helping out in the warehouse, pricing, serving customers to repairing furniture to doing upholstery work to doing work around the grounds and guards, teams for the van and doing all sorts of tidying up work"

He added: "We get volunteers from a very large range of backgrounds. So we get retired people to people who are here to try and benefit their mental health or to learn and we get them from a variety of settings."

They also get volunteers from local schools and the special needs unit at Richmond College, 

More of the furniture available. (Photo Credit: Heather Nicholls).

Simon said: "Some people like to come in and do lots of work on repairs and fixing things and what have you and others want to come in and have space to potter around a bit. 

"As long as people follow our values Be kind, be bold and be creative we're happy to work with everyone."

As well as being available in store all of their products are also available online. 

Find out more about Richmond Furniture Scheme here.