Normans Education and ReTune:
Instrument Recycling Scheme
Introducing ReTune, a musical instrument recycling programme for regional Music Hubs.
This initiative invites Music Hubs to recycle their old, unused musical instruments. Normans will arrange a free-of-charge collection of these instruments, assess their condition and either repair, donate, auction or responsibly dispose of them.
Any surplus generated from the resale of instruments or parts will be donated to Earthly.org.
Follow Their Journey
Breathing New Life into Old Instruments
ReTune has already helped Music Hubs around the UK responsibly clear out storage space, keeping thousands of musical instruments from heading to landfill.
Once those instruments arrive back with us at Normans, the story really begins. Take a look at the process of how every instrument is given a chance at a new chapter before recycling is even considered.
Follow Their Journey
Inspect, Sort and Categorise
The journey starts with a careful inspection of each instrument’s type and condition. While many have reached the end of their original life, quite a few can be revived – either as a playable instrument or in a creative new form! After this initial check, each item is sorted for its next steps: Reuse or Recycle.
Instruments marked for reuse are play-tested, often with help from local musicians who want to see these instruments continue to make music. Others, still structurally sound but not viable for full repair, may head to repurposing, ready for unique transformations.
Follow Their Journey
Donations
Some of the instruments that pass our playtest are donated to local schools, bands and music groups. Dronfield Band received several instruments to help launch a new training band.
“We’re really grateful to Normans for donating these instruments to us through their Retune scheme. As we expand the organisation to offer more music making opportunities to the local communities around us we need more instruments - and that comes at a huge cost. As a registered charity, which has to raise money for everything we do, getting a donation like this has been fantastic as it means we have a wider range of instruments for beginner players to use.” - Adrian Wood, Chairman of the Dronfield Band Organisation
Follow Their Journey
Auction or Spares & Repairs
Through our eBay site, we’ve found new homes for many instruments, in full working order or for “spares and repairs.” Schools and private individuals alike have jumped at the chance to give these items a second chance, meaning we’ve achieved our ultimate win of instruments being returned for use in Music Education.
We work closely with the National Association for Musical Instrument Repairers (NAMIR) , keeping their members updated about instruments that may just need a specialist’s touch. Rare items, like bassoons and tubas, are particularly in demand and we also supply spare parts to repairers to keep other instruments in playable condition.
Follow Their Journey
Repurposing
When instruments are beyond repair but still look the part, repurposing is the final creative option. Many have been transformed into unique décor, brightening up pubs, social spaces and even gardens as quirky water features.
One of our most exciting partnerships is with The Meon Lights in Hampshire, who specialise in converting these instruments into bespoke lamps. They have already turned the light on many a ReTune instrument, including a French Horn that sits proudly in our office!
Follow Their Journey
Recycling
Of course, many instruments we collect are beyond recovery (there’s only so much you can do with a guitar that’s lost its neck!). This is where our collaboration with Willshee’s Waste & Recycling comes in. Just down the road from our warehouse, Willshee’s provides sustainable waste solutions with a Zero Landfill Guarantee. Our Education Advisor, Nick, visited them to see this process in action – read more about it here.
ReTune is a not-for-profit scheme and any surplus from instrument resales supports nature-based projects through Earthly.org . This means every instrument recycled helps fund climate initiatives, with measurable positive impacts tracked on our Earthly dashboard.
How it Works
Register Your Music Hub
To join the scheme, hubs must first register their interest by completing our simple registration form, nominating their preferred collection address and primary contact. Registrations will be limited to one location per music hub regional area.
Instrument Collection
Registered hubs can then arrange a FREE collection by completing our ReTune Collection Form or emailing retune@normans.co.uk. We will ask for details of the quantity and type of instruments to be collected before advising when we have a collection vehicle available. Please note, the service is designed for bulk collections and typically limited to one collection per term.
Instrument Assessment
Once the collected instruments have been returned, the Normans team will assess them to ascertain what can be repaired/re-used and which will need to be responsibly disposed of or used for spares and repairs.
Repurpose, Repair or Responsible Disposal
Instruments that are deemed playable will be repurposed and in the first instance donated to a partner organisation or otherwise sold via auction. Any surplus generated from the sale will be donated to a music education charity or one of our chosen Earthly projects.
Any instruments identified as requiring repairs or maintenance will undergo comprehensive servicing by our approved instrument repairers. Once restored to optimal condition, they will be either donated or sold via auction.
Instruments that are deemed beyond repair and no longer fit for use will be responsibly recycled through our local recycling partner Willshee's, with a commitment to a 0% landfill - 100% recycled guarantee.
As an environmentally conscious company, Willshee's recycle 100% of wood and metal materials at their state-of-the-art recycling centre and any plastic is re-processed back into pellet form, helping to achieve zero waste to landfill. Willshee’s has recently been accredited with the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and 45001 certifications as well as being approved as a Safe Contractor, as part of a scheme promoting higher standards of competence within the industry.
FAQs
What instrument types are you able to collect?
We can collect most instruments except very large and heavy items such as acoustic pianos or timpani.
Can local schools recycle instruments using the ReTune programme?
Yes, schools or other local organisations can use ReTune, however instruments must be made available for collection from the registered location.
How frequently can collections be arranged?
We are committed to offering a minimum of 1 collection per ReTune location each term. However, if we have a collection vehicle passing nearby, we may be able to arrange an additional pick up.
Can we choose when the instruments are collected?
It is not possible to request a specific collection date as, due to the large geographical area the scheme covers, we must carefully plan our collection routes to minimise travel distances and times.
Wherever possible we utilise the return journey of our deliveries to collect to limit our carbon footprint and utilise the empty vehicle. We will aim to collect as quickly as possible following your request but are unable to commit to a specific timescale.
What geographical area does the scheme cover?
The scheme covers all regional areas of England and Wales.
Terms & Conditions
1.0 Eligibility
The programme is open to all regional Music Hubs in England & Wales who may register to become a ReTune collection site.
Music teachers, schools and other organisations working within music
education may recycle instruments using the scheme but must deliver
them to their local collection point as designated by the Hub Lead Organisations.
2.0 Instrument Collection
Normans will arrange for the free-of-charge collection of old instruments that are no longer required.
Collections will be arranged at a date and time convenient for the Normans logistics team and planned in conjunction with our other national deliveries.
We will aim to collect as quickly as possible following your request but are unable to commit to a specific timescale.
Some larger and heavier items are excluded from the ReTune programme,
these include, but are not limited to; pianos (acoustic and digital), large percussion e.g. timpani, marimbas, drum kits etc.
3.0 Instrument Assessment
All collected
instruments will undergo an assessment for repair and resale viability. The Normans team will make the final decision on whether an instrument
is repaired, repurposed, resold or disposed of.
4.0 Repair and Resale
Instruments deemed viable for repair will be refurbished and either donated or resold as second-hand items via an auction site.
5.0 Responsible Disposal
Instruments that cannot
be repaired will be responsibly disposed of in an eco-friendly manner
using our local recycling partners.
6.0 Charitable Donations
Any surplus generated
from the resale of instruments or parts will be donated to a music
education charity of our choice or one of our chosen Earthly projects.
7.0 Liability
Normans Musical Instruments is not liable for any damages or losses incurred during the collection, repair or resale process.
8.0 Changes to Terms
Normans reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time.
Contact
For any queries, please contact Nick Walker (Re-Tune Programme Co-ordinator)
If you have any further questions on our ReTune programme, please email retune@normans.co.uk
