UPCYCLERS have transformed unwanted items into unique creations to be sold at auction in aid of the York NHS Trust.

Yorwaste launched its BIG Upcycle venture when it became clear many people were using lockdown to have a clear out.

The recycling company challenged people to create pieces that could be sold and avoid waste sites becoming overwhelmed with perfectly usable items.

The BIG upcycle kept families occupied, with prize rewards of days out at Castle Howard and Flamingo Land.

Yorkwaste has teamed-up with Ryedale Auction House to auction off the upcycled creations after attracting hundreds of entries.

To enter, families were allowed to use any items destined for the bin, and transform them into another useful or ornamental purpose.The shortlisted entries are to be sold via live online auction on Saturday, September 19.

Lots include York upcycler Alan Sykes’ Sew Buru, a ride-along children’s car made from an old sewing machine, complete with horn and seat belt; pin boards made by York resident, Steve Miller, from wine corks; an artful tin can and branch wind chime by 14 year-old Maya Lindbridge from York, and Rawcliffe householder, Robert Gardiner’s rustic garden bench made entirely from pallets.

Ryedale’s auctioneer, Angus Ashworth, who has waived the seller’s fee for these charity lots said: “Our business is all about reusing, recycling and repurposing second-hand items, and we wholeheartedly support Yorwaste in it mission to support the upcycling movement.

“People are always on the lookout for one-off, quirky items, and these creations are not only well made, environmentally friendly and set to raise donations for a good cause - they’ve also encouraged families to work together, be creative and understand the value of perfectly good materials that needn’t to go to waste.

“Ryedale has been a customer of Yorwaste for over four years, receiving second-to-none customer service. We appreciate the effort the company puts in in making our local area as clean and green as possible with its environmentally-friendly initiatives, and we are delighted to be in a position to support the BIG Upcycle in this way.”

Yorwaste’s principal sales manager, Matthew Wilkinson, said: “The lockdown prompted two significant changes in our world. It saw the temporary closure of household recycling centres, and, at the same time, a significant increase in unwanted, household items - which were often clean and reusable.

“So the perfect solution was to incentivise the public to make good use of their waste.

Lots 80 to 83 can be viewed on www.ryedaleauctioneers.com, where interested parties can register to auction and place live bids.

The auction is from 11am and bidders can place bids prior to or during the auction online, via telephone bidding or in person, where attendance must be pre-booked.