The Proper Job story
Back in 1993 a group of environmentally conscious allotment holders launched a community composting project. They wanted to compost garden clippings going to landfill and create a local recycling facility for other items. All were committed to principles of zero waste and environmental sustainability. The rural skip service was being filled up with many reusable, recyclable and compostable items and the nearest recycling centres were 15 and 22 miles away. The group started their activities around the skips that came to the town each month and took out as much reusable and recyclable materials as possible.
Proper Job Limited was set up by these founding members in 1995, describing itself as “a community business committed to principles of sustainability and helping to create jobs”. This is still true for Proper Job over twenty years on. Plans were developed to find a permanent site for larger scale compost production, which also included the holistic vision which embraced the concept of a healthy community. This was achieved through principles of community participation, with recycling and sustainability as a central feature.
Specific proposals included:
- Obtaining a permanent site for a Resource Centre for recycling, training and vegetable growing (Proper Job Resource Centre)
- Opening a wholefood community shop and café. (The Courtyard Café and Shop)
The plan was implemented over the next 5 years, financed by funding grants and supporters who provided a premises, fittings and equipment at a deferred rental. Supporters in the community also loaned money to enable the purchase of the initial stock for a café and shop. In March 2021 The Courtyard was sold to local owners who continue the original ethos and passion for local food. It now trades independently as The Beehive Farm Shop.
Since 2000 the Proper Job Resource Centre can be found on a site next to Market Field. This permanent site has enabled Proper Job to evolve organically into what it is today.
Throughout the years Proper Job has acted as a spring board for local businesses as well as individuals who work for us. We are proud to have been able to support other local initiatives such Chagford CSA (formally known as Chagfood) and plan to continue helping to build a sustainable community.
On June 19th 2018 Proper Job was recognised by the Charities Commission and became a registered charity. The objectives of the Proper Job Resource Centre are the protection and preservation of the environment by the promotion of waste reduction, re-use and recycling and advancing education of the general public about all aspects of waste generation, waste management and waste recycling. We aim to educate, help and inspire people to live more sustainably.
We host workshops and events to get the community involved. Keep up to date on our events page. We also help and encourage other communities to follow our lead because every town deserves a Proper Job!
Discover how Proper Job, an environmental charity based in Chagford, supports sustainable fashion and a circular economy in a rural Devon community.
This video highlights the work of local artists, designers and volunteers who transform pre-loved materials into high-quality, creative pieces.
Through upcycling, textile arts and practical workshops, Proper Job demonstrates how communities can reduce waste, share skills and support more sustainable ways of living.
Explore how reuse, creativity and community action come together to make a lasting local impact.
HOW TO DONATE ITEMS TO PROPER JOB?
You must book a 30-minute donation slot to donate, please call the Resource Centre 01647432985 to book.
This pre booking system enables us to manage the flow of donations throughout the day and provide a helpful service to unload your car.
Please note we are unable to accept donations at our Uptown shop in Chagford due to limited space.
What can I donate to Proper Job?
We only take items that are in good re-usable condition. Items such as clothing, books, small household electricals, bric a brac, reclamation, paint and more.
Please see what we cannot take here.
How do I donate furniture and bulky items?
If you are donating furniture items they will need to be approved by the yard manager to ensure that they are appropriate for reuse and we have enough space to accommodate in our furniture barn. Please note that all soft furnishing must adhere to furniture fire safety regulations, they are a set of regulations in the UK that govern the fire resistance of domestic upholstered furniture, furnishings, and other products containing upholstery.
These regulations are designed to improve fire safety by setting standards for the flammability of these items. Please check your items for a fire regulation ticket which will ensure that the item is safe for reuse. Please do not hesitate to call us for more information and email us pictures of your prospective donations to donations@proper-job.org.
What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a UK government scheme that allows charities to reclaim the basic rate of tax on your donation, provided you are a UK taxpayer. When you donate goods to a Proper Job and fill in a Gift Aid declaration form, we can claim back 25p for every £1 you donate, making your donation go further at no extra cost to you. This extra income helps our charity to raise funds more effectively.
Can you collect my donations?
Yes we do offer a collection service for large bulky items such as reclamation and furniture. We have a 3.5 tonne box van. Please note that we can only collect items within a 10mile radius of Proper Job Resource Centre. If the second-hand retail value of the items you donate is less than £100 we will have to charge you a small fee to collect, this covers the cost of running the van and supplying trained
employees to handle heavy items. The value of the items will be determined by the yard manager. We hope that you understand that we must charge to offer this service if your donations are below the £100 threshold.
We deliver and collect
Is the item you want to buy or donate too big to fit in your car? Don’t worry, we provide a local pick-up and delivery service at a reasonable price. Thanks to the overwhelming support we received from the local community during our crowd funding campaign in December 2014 we are able to continue with this service. Click here to see our crowdfunding video from back in 2014 starring BBC’s Simon Reeve.
We pick up and deliver large items of furniture and reclaimed building materials. If you would like to arrange a delivery or collection, please contact the Proper Job yard on 01647432985 to speak to a friendly member of our team. We will give you a quote and book you in at a time that is suitable for you.
Compost
Our compost is lovingly hand crafted from all the freshest garden clippings that are brought to us by our community. Shredded and mixed to produce a veritable bacterial bonfire, feeding hundreds of billions of microscopic life forms and generating a tremendous heat. Then slowly cooling and maturing and being colonised by wondrous tiger worms who go through it and transform it into the highest quality compost. Exactly what your garden and allotment deserves.
Proper Job compost is teeming with life, which your soil and plants benefit from, it will build and sequester carbon in your soil, hold water, yet encourage aeration, help heat the soil and if used as a mulch it will smother weeds.
Don’t hesitate to bring us your green waste, and let your garden or allotment enjoy the fruits of our labour and buy your compost from us as well.
