Tamworth's Challenge Community Services workforce continues to expand despite tough year

The Tamworth-based business, which has offices everywhere from Albury to southern Queensland, offers employment to people with disabilities as cleaners, gardeners, in recycling and timber manufacturing.

Chief executive Peter Maher said while there had been some areas of the business that had slowed down in recent weeks due to Omicron, things had been going "gangbusters" before that.

"We're increasing our lawnmower crews around town which is great, we've had a lawnmowing service going for quite a long time but we're expanding that because of demand," he said.

"Also since council stopped their bulky rubbish collection we've been starting to move into that side of things, so we've been going around and collecting people's rubbish and taking it to the tip for them."

Challenge has also been partnering with other businesses and industries around the city, with real estate agents employing their services to help clean up premises if tenants leave the place in a mess.

Its recycling plant is still one of its biggest assets though, and Mr Maher was thrilled to reveal not one person had lost hours at the facility since the council contract expired.

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The return and earn program, cardboard recycling and shredding programs have also proved popular and profitable. Challenge's willingness to keep their costs flexible has also given them a good standing in the community.

"We're looking at a whole range of other services as well but those ones are definitely moving," Mr Maher said.

"Obviously we work out a price for people based up their situation, so if there's an elderly pensioner for example that needs to have certain rubbish taken to the tip we can work with them."

With its woodwork activities also ramping up and new operations starting in Muswellbrook and Sydney, Mr Maher said it's an exciting time for Challenge and the future looks bright for the disabled community in the region.

"There's a whole lot of really great things going on involving people with disabilities and we are looking to expand those opportunities as well, not just in Tamworth but in other areas," he said.

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