Preston students get a lift with their automotive courses thanks to city recycling firm

Social enterprise company Recycling Lives, which is the UK’s leading end-of-life vehicles processor for recycling, is helping Preston’s College students learn how to repair cars.
By Tim Gavell
Published 29th Jun 2021, 15:30 BST
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The firm handles up to 11,000 vehicles a month.

Its 16-acre Recycling Park in Preston is an Authorised Treatment Facility equipped for depolluting vehicles and extracting recyclable materials including ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

It does this through a complex process of shredding, washing and sorting. Recycling Lives also receives other vehicles selected for resale and it is from this stock that up to 12 cars a year will be supplied to Preston’s College.

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Pictured with workshop vehicles are: (from left) Automotive Technicians Phil Shea and Lianne Brooks, College Principal Louise Doswell, and from Recycling Lives Managing Director of the Cars Division Tazamul Sarodia and Chief Executive Officer Gerry Marshall.Pictured with workshop vehicles are: (from left) Automotive Technicians Phil Shea and Lianne Brooks, College Principal Louise Doswell, and from Recycling Lives Managing Director of the Cars Division Tazamul Sarodia and Chief Executive Officer Gerry Marshall.
Pictured with workshop vehicles are: (from left) Automotive Technicians Phil Shea and Lianne Brooks, College Principal Louise Doswell, and from Recycling Lives Managing Director of the Cars Division Tazamul Sarodia and Chief Executive Officer Gerry Marshall.

Courses that benefit cover 14-16 year-olds studying for the ABC School link award, 16-19 year-old learners on light vehicle maintenance and repair courses, apprentices of various levels, and adult night school learners who are studying for various awarding organisations including the City and Guilds and the Institute of the Motor Industry.

Mark Atkinson, curriculum leader for Automotive at Preston’s College explains: “The cars are used for a wide range of tasks, from remove and replace mechanical activities to advanced diagnostic fault finding.

“When the vehicles become worn due to being dismantled and rebuilt so many times, the engines are removed for use as static stand engines and Recycling Lives will pick these scrap vehicles up and replace them with fresh ones.”

Recycling Lives’ chief executive Gerry Marshall said: “Collaborating with Preston’s College is a perfect fit with our other charity activity, enabling young people to acquire vital skills and progress their careers.”

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Recycling Lives is an award-winning company which uses its commercial operations in recycling and waste management to support and sustain charity programmes for offender rehabilitation, residential support and food redistribution.

Read also: Chairman Steve stands aside at award-winning Preston recycling business

Related topics:PrestonMark Atkinson