Axel King and Peter Collard sorting bottles and cans.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Rochester Lions Club has taken over the town’s container depository following the closure of the former collection point.
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The service officially relaunched at the Lions yard, 69 Baynes St, on Tuesday, April 28, with the club welcoming community members to the new site.
Lions member Anne Chirnside said the group was eager to take on the initiative.
“We were looking for something else and this opportunity came up,” she said.
“We recycle, and we recycle the money through the community, and that's great.
“It's not going into a private pocket. It's going into a club that does a lot for this community.”
Peter Collard encouraged residents to check all containers for the recycle symbol.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
In its first few days, the new site has seen a steady stream of residents dropping off containers.
The club aims to fill about 20 bins a week initially, with plans to increase that number to 60 as community support grows.
Ms Chirnside said volunteers expected a slow start as word spread about the new initiative, but were confident the community would get behind it.
“The Rochester Lions Club are pretty respected in the community, so I think that once (the community hears), people will want to support us,” she said.
The depository will operate six days a week from 10am to 2pm, closing on Wednesdays.
Visitors can park out the front of the yard and bring their containers into the Lions’ shed, where volunteers will count and record each item.
Refunds can be taken as cash, deposited into a bank account, or donated directly to the Lions Club.
Volunteers Anne Chirnside, Axel King, Peter Collard and Bruce Major.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
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