At Instant Neighbour, we’ve always believed that everyone deserves dignity, comfort, and the basic essentials to live a safe and secure life. That’s why we’re proud to announce our new partnership with Stella’s Voice on an initiative that combines compassion with sustainability: The Mattress Project.
Together, we’re tackling two pressing issues—furniture poverty and waste—by giving quality, pre-loved mattresses a second life and ensuring they reach those who need them most.
Bridging the Comfort Gap
Across our communities, more and more people are struggling to afford basic household essentials. Among the most urgent requests we receive are for beds and mattresses. Far too often, we see families—especially those with young children—sleeping on hard floors, or elderly individuals trying to rest on broken, unsupportive bedding.
Through this project, and with Stella's Voice providing vital logistics and warehouse support, we're now able to respond to these situations more effectively. By making these quality mattresses available at affordable prices, we create a sustainable model where every transaction helps fund further mattress renewals while supporting our other essential services for the community.
Tackling the Stigma Around Used Mattresses
We understand that for many, there’s a natural hesitation when it comes to second-hand mattresses. Concerns around hygiene and safety are completely valid—which is why we’ve put a strict cleaning and quality control process in place.
Every mattress we collect is thoroughly inspected to ensure its structurally sound and fit for reuse. Those that meet our standards are then professionally deep-cleaned using industrial steam technology, eliminating bacteria, dust mites, and allergens. We follow this with an industrial-grade, eco-friendly sanitisation process, ensuring each mattress is safe, hygienic, and fresh.
To go a step further, once cleaned, each mattress is carefully sealed in a recyclable protective covering. This not only keeps it clean during transport and storage but also ensures it arrives at its new home in excellent condition—reassuring recipients that their health, comfort, and dignity are our top priorities.
Sustainability at Heart
In Scotland, over 600,000 mattresses are sent to landfill each year—many of which are still in usable condition. By intercepting these mattresses and preparing them for reuse, we’re directly reducing waste, supporting sustainability, and helping the environment.
Each mattress saved is one less item adding to landfill and one more chance to provide someone with a better quality of life. It’s a small change that makes a big impact.
A True Community Effort
This project wouldn’t be possible without the incredible commitment of Stella’s Voice, who share our values of compassion, dignity, and action. Together, we’re not only addressing an urgent need—we’re showing that collaboration between charities can drive real, meaningful change.
Already, people are sleeping more comfortably thanks to this partnership. And this is just the beginning.
By redistributing these sanitised mattresses at an affordable cost, we’re able to sustain and grow this initiative—ensuring that every contribution supports not just the Mattress Project, but also the wider missions of both Instant Neighbour and Stella’s Voice.
How You Can Help
If you'd like to support the Mattress Project—whether by donating, volunteering, or helping us spread the word—we'd love to hear from you. When it's time to replace your mattress, we invite you to consider reuse first. By choosing renewed quality over brand new, you're helping build a stronger circular economy and challenging consumption patterns that strain our planet's resources. Together, we can ensure everyone has access to dignified rest while creating a more sustainable future.
