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St Blazey Recycle Reuse and Resale

1616. Pauline Giles

Pauline Giles, from Cornwall, is the founder of ‘St Blazey Recycle Reuse and Resale CIC’, a platform for distributing unwanted toys, furniture and clothes to people in need in the local community.

Pauline Giles

Pauline set up the initiative in 2018, collecting good-quality household items that would otherwise go to waste in landfill, and gifting these to families in crisis or people who are homeless. She has been continuing to offer support throughout the pandemic, including posting weekly quizzes and children’s cookery classes online to support her local community.

Pauline’s award coincides with St Piran’s Day, the day of celebration for Cornwall.

In a personal letter to Pauline, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“It was fantastic to hear about ‘St Blazey Recycle Reuse and Resale’ helping local people in need with household items.

“From furniture, to toys and clothes, you have saved waste from going to landfill while doing a wonderfully practical thing for families. 

“Let me also thank you for the quizzes and cookery lessons you have organised during the pandemic. You are a true Point of Light in your community and I am delighted to recognise you as the UK’s 1616th Point of Light.”

Steve Double, Pauline’s local MP for St Austell and Newquay, said:

“It is very fitting that Pauline Giles, a Cornishwoman who contributes so much to her community has been given this Points of Light Award by our Prime Minister on St Piran’s Day.

“This award is well-deserved recognition for Pauline’s amazing hard work for her community both in the past four years but especially so for her efforts during the pandemic where Pauline has really gone above and beyond to support some of the most vulnerable people. She has really made a difference for those who need it the most in St Blazey.”

Pauline said:

“I am honoured to be made the 1616th awardee of the Points of Light Award, especially on St Piran’s Day – Cornwall’s saint’s day and day of cultural celebration.

“Bringing a little joy to others and letting them know that someone cares is within all our grasp, and I sincerely thank all those who have come forward and helped me both before and during the pandemic.

“Helping furnish properties for the homeless and families in crisis and continuing that support by helping out with food parcels has helped give people a much needed leg up. I have tried to reach all generations to lift spirits, be it the weekly online lockdown quiz, or the children’s online cookery classes on a Saturday morning. Having the chance to make a difference to someone’s day is heartwarming. The utter pride on the children’s faces when they share the pictures of their cooking achievements is infectious. It spreads throughout the community and is witnessed in the wonderful comments from one and all, a true delight to see their improvement as the weeks go by. Soon we will be working with clay, to celebrate our local heritage, and potting up seeds, which the children will be able to nurture and grow, showing them the circle of growth to plate.

“The pandemic has allowed this hectic world of ours to slow down so that we might share a wealth of knowledge to others, enlightening their lives.

“Meur ras from a very humbled but grateful recipient.”

The daily Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers - people who are making a change in their community.

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