Shiny card and pristine plastic containers are among the items available at the scrapstore run by Watford Recycling Arts Project (WRAP). Every year, WRAP showcases an exhibition of works made from recycled materials but because members of the group take away the bits and bobs and construct art from them in their own spaces, exhibition coordinator Anna-Marya Tompa has no idea what the show will contain.

“We have more than 600 members and we show whatever gets handed in – it always takes us by surprise what they come up with. There are no criteria, so it tends to be quite eclectic. It’s a showcase for our materials and the fact the artworks are 100 per cent recyclable.”

Anna tells me last year’s exhibition included collages made by community groups, crochet bags made from plastic bags, dangly mobiles and children’s art from hands-on sessions.

“We did an ecology event at Bhaktivedanta Manor last August and had all these blue containers. Everything we use is pre-production waste, so it’s not really waste at all. They’re all brand new materials from all over the country. Calling it waste makes it sound like a pile of rubbish and it’s not. It’s surplus materials from high-end fashion such as bows and buttons and high-quality gold card like the kind they use in cigarette boxes.”

Last year’s show took place at Café Cha Cha Cha in Cassiobury Park and this year’s venue is Watford Grammar School for Girls (WGGS).

Holly Dalfen, the specialist status manager at the school. says pupils have been busy designing their own bags for the show.

She says: “Every winter term, WGGS runs various six-week classes for the Year 6 girls to obtain experience in skills they would not do in their chosen studies. One of the classes this year is textiles and the project is to design your own eco-friendly bag. There are 16 of our Year 6 girls making the bags under the guidance of local artist Lizzie Reakes, using materials obtained from WRAP.

“Lizzie is teaching them batik, making felt, appliqué, hooking and embroidery.”

The bags will be displayed in the final week of the exhibition, which runs from Tuesday, October 21 to Thursday, October 23 and Monday, November 3 to Thursday, November 6 at Watford Grammar School for Girls, Lady’s Close, Watford, open Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 8pm.

Details: 01923 447658