Grant puts gloss on paint recycling enterprise

A social enterprise that helps people decorate their homes with recycled paint, repurposed furniture and recycled materials has been awarded a £400,000 National Lottery grant to help it expand its services.

Development director Nikki Digiovanni said the grant was a "game changer" for Remo, based in March, Cambridgeshire, which was set up about 20 years ago.

"The funding will allow me to employ more staff [and] it will mean we can be open seven days a week," Digiovanni said.

The money will be released to Remo over five years.

Digiovanni lived in temporary housing when she was younger and she was not allowed to decorate her property, but when she moved to a permanent address she was eager to get a paintbrush out.

"The paint, even then, was so expensive," she said. "I had to get an extra Saturday job to be able to afford to freshen up my home."

That was the catalyst for the paint recycling enterprise and helping to make it more affordable for people.

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