Furniture removed from Oxford's Randolph Hotel has been sent to charities in Lithuania including those running domestic violence refuges.

Last year the five-star hotel in Beaumont Street was bought by American chain Graduate Hotels and last month it closed for a six-month refurbishment.

Seventy-five out of 84 staff were shocked when they were told they were being made redundant ahead of the revamp.

The chain said it had been a “difficult decision” to make staff redundant.

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Removal men were seen taking old furniture from the five-star hotel in Beaumont Street last month and now its destination has been revealed.

Oxford Mail:

The hotel group has been working with charity CleanConscience to find a new home for the old furniture - and said it was unable to make a donation locally due to coronavirus restrictions.

CleanConscience collects and repackages furniture and toiletries and links up with charities to distribute the items to people in need.

The organisation has now grown to offer hotel clearances, and the redistribution of other end-of-life, surplus or redundant items that the hotels no longer need.

It supports 31 UK charities, one charity in Sierra Leone, and six charities in Lithuania.

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A statement from the charity said: "The initiative with The Randolph has initially planned to support local Oxford charities but unfortunately, due to Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions, the items could not be taken locally.

Oxford Mail:

"The furniture has therefore travelled Lithuania to benefit six charities and community groups in a village where the project manager, Viktorija, is from. In total, bed bases, mattresses, sofas, chairs, tables, desks, lamps and more made their way to donate to those in need helping 700 children: 80 orphans in foster homes, the others in refuges where they are protected from domestic violence and parental substance abuse. 

"In addition, another 36 mothers and their children fleeing domestic abuse were helped in a family crisis centre, a charity and support centre serving 20,000 residents relying on financial and other support received goods, as did a new care home for 80 elderly people."

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CleanConscience also calculated the following statistics and figures on energy saving and waste avoidance from the project:

  • 45.2 tonnes of waste has been avoided
  • £49,000 of waste costs saved
  • 206.5 tonnes of CO2 has been saved      
  • £448,220 is the estimated value of assets donated to charity.

Oxford Mail:

It is not yet known how the items were transported to Lithuania or whether this has been factored into the calculations regarding CO2.

Philip Lewis, general manager of the hotel said: "We are delighted to be working with CleanConscious to do what we can to give back in these difficult times.

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"Individuals and businesses alike are responsible for doing their bit for the environment and help to reduce waste; these donated items are all in good condition and we are pleased that people can enjoy them for longer."

Oxford Mail:

Precise details of the redesign have not yet been revealed by Graduate Hotels.

A possible name change to Graduate Oxford has now been ruled out.