The idea for Plastic Shed was inspired by two brilliant projects called Precious Plastic and Men Sheds. Plastic Shed's founder, Rachel Lewis, was keen to establish a project that would allow people to build solidarity and empathy with their neighbours, something that would bring different people together and provide an opportunity to work together on something meaningful.

 

Research shows that plastic waste is an issue that concerns over 80% of Brits. It's an issue that crosses social, political and economic divides and unites us. In a time where we can feel so isolated and divided, Plastic Shed was founded to bring people from all walks of life together with a shared purpose. 

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With support from the Year Here Social Innovation Programme, Rachel set up Plastic Shed as a social enterprise and worked with Year Here Fellow, Freya to test workshop ideas. 

 

Using the Precious Plastic community map Rachel put a call out in Manchester to find others who were keen to set up a plastic recycling workshop for the community. Very soon she was in touch with Caitlin and Camilla!

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Throughout 2019 the Plastic Shed team held workshops and collected plastic all across Stockport, from the Central Library and Signpost for Carers to the Plant Shop and Tandem Cafè, growing the Plastic Shed community day-by-day. In 2020 Stockport Council offered them an empty shop unit in the Merseyway Shopping Centre to share with the social enterprise Easy Peel Studio. This is where you can find us today! 

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Since then both Rachel and Camilla have moved on to other exciting projects, whilst Caitlin works with a new growing team to take Plastic Shed to it's next steps.