BIKES and old furniture taken to the dump will be saved from landfill thanks to a new partnership.

Oxfordshire County Council has teamed up with Bicester Green, and Viridor, who operate Ardley Recycling Centre, for the recycling project.

Staff at the Ardley Centre set aside bicycles and furniture, which are then collected and repaired by volunteers at Bicester Green, a sustainability centre in Station Approach, and sold to help fund the running of the centre.

Bicester Green manager Emma Gordon, said: “We are pleased to be able to work with the team at Ardley to give unwanted items a new lease of life.

“At Bicester Green we have a team of volunteers training in bike mechanics and furniture restoration so we can turn one person’s trash into another person’s treasure. Last week we picked up some furniture in the morning and by the afternoon it had been sold, which is fantastic.”

Colin Clews, of the recycling centre, said: “Customers often bring good quality items or things which could be used again with just some small repairs, so it’s good to see that Bicester Green is able to collect these and work on them so that they can find a new home.”

County council cabinet member for the environment David Nimmo Smith said: “The success of this partnership is really heartening. I hope that we will see more and more finding its way through Bicester Green and back into local homes.”

To help with the project, see bicestergreen.org.uk or call 07591 754787.