In the spring of 2017, Plastic Expert co-founder Russell Greig-Bartram visited Young Epilepsy in Surrey, a wonderful college designed specifically to provide for the needs of young epilepsy sufferers.
What happened next would have a huge impact on Russell, Harry and a group of keen young builders.
A love for Lego
Russell was responding to a call for surplus-to-requirement Lego pieces that could be donated to the college. The call was made by a friend of Russell, whose 17 year old son Harry is a residential pupil at the college. Harry, who started a Lego club at Young Epilepsy, says that the plastic building blocks are very therapeutic for him and his friends.
Russell explained, “When I was a boy, one of my school friends suffered from epilepsy, so I saw first hand from a young age how debilitating this condition is, that’s one reason that I was so moved to help.” He continued, “I spoke with Harry’s mother, who made the appeal, and had a chat with the board here at Plastic Expert. We decided that it was a great idea to support this worthy cause by buying some Lego.”
A visit in the spring…
At the end of March, delivering £500 worth of brand new Lego from Toys “R” Us, Russell visited the Young Epilepsy college.
Speaking about his visit, Russell said “I attended the college and met with Hollie Lucas, the Regional Fundraiser for the college. She escorted me around the college and then I finally met with Harry. I was completely overcome with joy after giving him the Lego, and we set up the boxes on the table for him to show to his mates. We had a great time chatting about his favourite activities, his friends, his life, and then I promised to return next year with another donation.”
The college were incredibly grateful for the donation, as was Harry’s mother, who reached out to Russell to thank him personally.
A donation can make a huge difference
Discussing the relationship between Plastic Expert and Lego, Russell explained “Lego is made from plastic, and I felt there was a great link between what we do as the UK’s leading plastic recycling company and what Harry was doing for his Lego club.”
Social impact has always been at the core of Plastic Expert, who tackle plastic waste destined for landfill in a sustainable way. Greig-Bartram shared his thoughts on Plastic Expert’s intentions, stating “When we started the company, we wanted to build an organisation that dealt with subprime plastic waste that was destined for landfill, and use it to generate a sustainable income. With this money we could support positive causes. Plastic Expert is all about positive impact, so answering appeals like this enables us to use our economic success for the greater good of society and the planet.”
