The Paper Trails achievements
Hertfordshire-based charity The Paper Trail was chosen as the East of England’s winner of Enterprising Britain 2007 due to its success in transforming disused industrial buildings and an historic manufacturing business into a vibrant education, business and heritage centre.
The project is based at two locations in Apsley, near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire – Frogmore Mill, where the world’s first commercial mechanical paper machine was invented in 1803 (still a working Victorian heritage paper mill), and the former headquarters of the John Dickinson Stationery Company. Built on a business model with charitable aims, it optimises the use of the charity’s assets, its buildings, heritage papermaking equipment and staff skills. Through these assets it offers a wide range of opportunities and income generating activities including the heritage centre, recycled papermaking, schools enterprise and recycling projects, conferencing facilities, training courses, an innovation centre and work spaces specifically for start up businesses.
Founded in January 2000, so far The Paper Trail has:
- Raised nearly £5 million from donations, sponsorship and grants
- Contributed almost £2.5million to Dacorum Borough Council in rent and improvements to its Frogmore Mill site
- Enrolled over 330 schools on Recycle for Learning (R4L), our unique closed-loop paper recycling scheme
- Diverted over 600 tonnes of waste paper from landfill through R4L collections
- Preserved the 119 year old steam driven papermaking machine at Frogmore Mill producing over 2400 tonnes of recycled paper for commercial sale
- Supported 8 sustainable technology innovation projects
- Launched over 40 start-up businesses
- Created over 125 jobs
- Delivered business and enterprise education for over 21,000 school, college and university students
- Provided business training for over 750 people and conference facilities for 5,000 delegates
- Opened a new visitor centre providing a working heritage experience at Frogmore Mill for over 10,000 visitors
- Offered work experience activities for more than 200 young people and adults with learning disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Opened UKonline centres on both sites, offering free IT training to over 350 people
- Offered free courses to over 300 families
- Supported Letterpress House by keeping their heritage letterpress printing company operating at Frogmore Mill
- Kept the factory band tradition alive by providing rehearsal space for the award-winning Hemel Hempstead Band
- Launched the Heritage Fire Brigade, restoring the British Paper Company’s 1938 Fire Engine to full roadworthy working order
This enterprising rescue package has not only saved an important part of Britain’s industrial heritage, but also sparked an economic revival in the surrounding area.
