Monty and our work bench mark project



 **Why Monty is Our Zero Waste Champion and the Benchmark Project**

 

At the beginning of our transition from being the Green Park Community Centre to becoming - Polmont Community Hub, the takeover team of volunteers faced several communication and cooperation issues with the council staff and the former Management Committee. Monty is a prime example of these cooperation challenges. The now-discontinued Management Committee wanted the council caretaker to throw Monty in the bin. 

 


When the caretaker asked if anyone would claim Monty and the other toys in the cupboard where he lived, one of our volunteers, who has a passion for teddy bears (she has been called an arctophile), was outraged. "You're not putting Monty or any of those toys in a bin!" she told the caretaker, who didn't seem to care (a caretaker that didnt care) he described Monty as a "flea-bitten rag." We then informed the council's Strategic Property Review Department via a letter that nothing was to be discarded without consulting the future management team first. Even back then, we were moving towards government zero waste initiatives with our ambitious goals of upcycling, recycling, and repurposing to prevent any landfill waste. 

 

Monty was saved and is now more loved than ever. It's incredible just how cherished he has become; he is now an essential part of our team. We sometimes even take him to meetings for consultation. He always brings positivity and a can-do attitude because he has a big heart filled with love and kindness. Monty has made many new friends and even has his own Facebook page. We take him to all our workshops.

 


Today's visit was to a workbench that was also destined for the skip. The person who donated the workbench needed space in his garage and wanted it gone quickly. At the time, we didn't have the space to accommodate the workbench, but we couldn't bear to see something so beautiful and useful go to waste. Several months ago, we placed it at the back of the hub under a canvas cover, leaving many people wondering what it was. Now that we have our shiny new shed, we can finally get around to restoring and renovating this gorgeous workbench. 

 

It needs quite a bit of work, but after some tender loving care from our team, we genuinely believe it will become a thing of envy and beauty—loved almost as much as Monty. This project could serve as a benchmark in our community, illustrating why the throwaway society represents such a waste of resources. We believe that future generations will look back in horror at the rampant consumerism and disposability that characterize our current society.


 



We look forward to posting updates on how this restoration project progresses. The workbench comes with a vice and numerous intricate little cupboards, showcasing classic carpentry and old-fashioned hinges—truly a thing of beauty for anyone who has ever enjoyed working at a bench with tools.

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