A NEW innovative community environment centre, which will see waste being turned into art, has been officially opened in Worcester.

The Worcestershire Resource Exchange, located on Gregory's Bank Industrial Estate, Barbourne, aims to help schools, community groups and businesses in the county work together to reduce waste and save money by using clean industrial waste in art and craft projects.

The warehouse will collect scrap material and skips free of charge from local businesses, which would have otherwise gone to landfills.

The sorted waste will then be sold on to art projects for as little as £7 per trolley through a membership system.

The centre, funded by cash from the Lottery's New Opportunities Fund and set up by the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust, will provide work placements for people with disabilities, enabling them to learn the skills they need to work within their community.

Organisations involved in the scheme include Worcestershire County Council's social services department, Worcester City Council, Severn Waste, Bishops Wood Environmental Education Centre, SureStart, the Probation Centre and Worcester City Volunteer Bureau.

"The Worcestershire Resource Exchange is an Aladdin's Cave packed full of weird and wonderful resources," said Alison Hatton, project co-ordinator.

"This includes card, fabrics, tubing, plastic sheets, nylon curtains and a huge selection of other art and craft materials."