Community / Voluntary / Charity

Hastings and Rother Furniture Service

HFS is the only dedicated furniture reuse charity serving Hastings and Rother and we’ve been here since 1988. Everything we do takes place locally and is focused on supporting people in our community.

HFS exists to help people who would otherwise struggle to afford the essential items needed to establish and maintain a home. Alongside this, we create opportunities for people to improve their lives through our volunteer programme, helping people gain practical experience, build confidence and develop the skills needed to move into employment. We are also proud to be part of the circular economy, delivering significant environmental benefits by diverting waste from landfill and reducing CO₂e emissions through furniture reuse.

Last year HFS supported 2,088 households across Hastings and Rother, generated £1.81m in household savings and created £1.90m of measured social value. For every £1 spent, HFS generated £4.76 of measurable social value, rising to nearly £7.10 when wider social benefits are taken into account.

Alongside this social impact, HFS reused 3,968 items, diverted almost 200 tonnes from landfill and prevented nearly 300 tonnes of CO₂e emissions. Those 4,000 items, if lined up end-to-end along the seafront, would stretch from the Old Town to West St Leonards. The carbon savings achieved by HFS last year were equivalent to the amount of CO₂ that 100 mature trees would absorb over the next 140 years.