Creative in the name of charity

Morley Glass & Glazing, known for its work for charities and local causes, has taken a novel approach to how it recycles the waste products of its production process.

Over the past year, Morley has got creative with the help of local glass artists Bob and Gael Spishak who have been giving the offcuts of glass created during Morley’s manufacturing process a new lease of life as works of art.

Using their own home studio, the couple melt the glass down and reform it to produce pieces of glass wear.

Items they create include bowls, decorations and even a Nativity scene, all of which are subsequently sold or donated.

Last year, a number of items were delivered to St John Fisher Catholic Primary School to be sold at events to raise money for the school, as well as to St Edmund’s Church, which sold pieces to raise money for Butterwick Hospice and Durham Family Welfare Adoption.

Bob and Gael are also members of the Rotary Club of Roundhay, and most recently used glass donated from Morley Glass to create a number of pieces to be sold on Yorkshire Day, with all proceeds going to help fund the club’s worthwhile endeavours.

The business is also responsible for the disposal of a great deal of packaging, both wooden and plastic, the majority of which it is committed to recycling and/or reusing.

In particular, wooden have become popular with local schools and craft societies for their adaptability for a number of creative projects.

St John Fisher Catholic Primary School took advantage of Morley’s generosity to allow the students to create personal memory boxes in honour of its 50th anniversary. The boxes, which the children decorated and filled themselves, will be buried in a time capsule.

Meanwhile, Chapel Allerton Pyrography Class collected sheets of wood from the inside of the boxes for their pyrography projects. Other beneficiaries of the scrap boxes include the Japanese Garden Society, and a local craftsman who uses them to create bird houses and bug hotels, to aid garden biodiversity.