WREXHAM residents can now brush up on their recycling skills thanks to a community scheme that was launched last week.

Community Re>Paint is the latest in a series of social and recycling initiatives developed by Wrexham Play Association.

The scheme, which has been successfully rolled out in other parts of the UK by environmental consultants SWAP, will help the community to help itself by collecting unwanted, surplus paint from local businesses, and re-distributing it for a nominal charge for re-use by local people - particularly those in social need, charities and voluntary groups.

Paint distributed through Community Re>Paint Wrexham will be used for a wide range of projects, from painting community houses to being distributed to needy groups, families and charitable organisations which can identify others who would benefit from the paint.

While providing a service for the local community, and helping the environment, the scheme also has the potential to provide opportunities for the unemployed to volunteer and learn practical skills, gain work experience and then transfer these skills into employment.

Sarah Williams, who has been responsible for the development of the project while on secondment from the Inland Revenue, (arranged by Business in the Community) said: 'This scheme is highly beneficial for both the environment and the local community and will join our scrap store and resource centre in offering safe, good quality recycled goods at low or no cost to disadvantaged local people and community groups.

'At the same time, the scheme will offer practical volunteering opportunities and save items from need-lessly ending up in landfill.

'By making good use of unwanted paint that would have been thrown away, the project promotes waste minimisation, reduces the pressure on landfill and helps the community at the same time. The scheme has the broad support of many agencies and organisations in Wrexham.'

Mark Gregory, Community Re>Paint co-ordinator at SWAP, added: 'We are very pleased to launch our scheme run by the Wrexham Play Association. More than 370 million litres of paint are sold each year, 75 million litres of which is stored, hoarded or wasted. Community Re>Paint will enable some of this paint to be put to good use.' For more information about Community Re>Paint contact Anne Roberts at Wrexham Play Association on 01978 661818 or 664183.