Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) has hosted its 5th annual conference at the Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre Limavady, bringing together community leaders, environmental practitioners, policy makers, and social enterprises from across Northern Ireland to accelerate Northern Ireland’s transition toward a circular economy.
Hosted by BBC journalist, Louise Cullen, the day-long event focused on transforming waste into opportunity, showcasing how local reuse, repair, and redistribution initiatives provide a critical social lifeline to communities facing economic and environmental challenges. The conference theme this year was Circular Communities: Tackling Challenges, Driving Change.
The conference opened with a welcome address from NIRN Director Eimear Montague, setting a collaborative tone for a day packed with keynotes, dynamic panel discussions, and hands-on breakout sessions.
Keynote speaker James Dunbar, Chief Executive of Scottish social enterprise New Start Highland, delivered an inspiring address detailing their journey in creating a “Reuse Village.” James Dunbar highlighted how scaling up reuse models creates local employment, delivers essential household goods to families in need, and diverts thousands of tonnes of material from landfill.
A central highlight of the morning was the panel discussion, “Surplus into Support: Reuse as a Lifeline.” NIRN members formed the panel and addressed the intersection of social relief and environmental sustainability:
Michael Holmes (Hope 365)
Gail Redmond (Via Wings)
Róisín Colohan (FareShare NI)
Mark Roberts (The Playtrail)
The panel explored how organisations across Northern Ireland are capturing surplus food, textiles, and furniture to support local communities while reducing carbon footprints. Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Fiona Ferguson also presented on government initiatives tackling food waste and supporting local redistribution networks.
“Community-led reuse is no longer just an environmental strategy, it is a vital economic and social support system,” said Eimear Montague, Executive Director of NIRN. “Today’s conference in Limavady demonstrates the incredible impact our sector is making. By connecting organisations, sharing best practices, and pushing for systemic support, we can build a truly circular Northern Ireland.”
The afternoon session turned toward practical application and education. NIRNs Julie Armstrong and Orlaith Quinn presented “The Art of Change: Building Circular Schools Through Artitude and the Climate Wheel,” showcasing creative approaches to embedding sustainability into local schools and the art scene.
Delegates then participated in four focused workshops
1. Textiles Hackathon “Rip It Up and Start Again”: Led by ReJig, tackling textile waste through hands-on repurposing.
2. Local Roots Redistributing Food, Growing Community: Facilitated by DAERA, focusing on local food security and waste reduction.
3. Scaling the Reuse Village: Led by James Dunbar, offering a blueprint for expanding community-based repair and upcycling hubs.
4. From Cans to Cottages, Waste to Welcome: Led by Janet Schofield of Compass Advocacy Network (CAN), detailing the journey of building a successful, inclusive social enterprise.
The event concluded with a clear call to action for increased cross-sector partnership, policy support, and public engagement to ensure circular practices become standard across Northern Ireland.