The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has updated its recycling operation in a bid to boost the vital funds it receives.
The charity delivers life-saving care to some of the most seriously ill or injured people across the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man.
Responding to over 2,000 emergencies each year, GNAAS relies entirely on donations and needs around £9.3 million annually to stay in the air.
To help fund their life-saving missions, the organisation previously managed an in-house clothing recycling operation, with the profits donated directly to the charity.
They’ve recently transitioned to partnering with Clothes Aid, who are facilitating collections on their behalf, in the hopes of increasing the funds raised to support their service.
Clothes Aid is a fully licensed and regulated third-party organisation, that has a strong track record of working with charities across the Midlands and North of England, raising millions of pounds for them for over 25 years.
“This decision was not taken lightly, but due to a persistent decline in income and an uncertain marketplace, we decided it would be more beneficial for the charity to trial using a third-party collector.
“This will allow us to reduce our costs, and we are guaranteed to receive a similar income, if not more, without the associated risks.
“Please be assured that your generous donations of pre-loved clothing will continue to make a meaningful difference to our charity and we appreciate your support.”
Phil Hall, commercial project manager
The collaboration with Clothes Aid has led to the expansion of items that can be donated, and in addition to clothes, the recycling team now collect a range of household goods and bric-a-brac, such as toys, games, books, ornaments and large electricals like TVs or monitors.
Everything that is collected is sold on to stock European department stores that are full of premium second-hand clothes and accessories from Britain.
The recycling service offers pre-booked collections from Monday to Friday and covers several areas including County Durham, Tyne & Wear, Tees Valley, Northumberland and Cumbria.
To arrange a collection, fill in the enquiry form on Clothes Aid’s website: https://clothesaid.co.uk/book-a-collection-for-the-great-north-air-ambulance-service-charity/ or call 02072888545.
For further information about GNAAS’ clothing collections visit: https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/support-us/fundraising/recycle/our-collections/
