If you’re planning to clear out unwanted items from your wardrobe this New Year, why not recycle them at your local fire station and help raise funds for The Fire Fighters Charity at the same time?
Suitable items for recycling include adult and children’s clothing (including underwear, socks and coats), paired shoes, handbags and bed linen. Textile recycling banks are situated at the following Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) fire stations:
Dee Road, Reading
Wokingham Road, Reading
Whitley Wood, Reading (Whitley Wood Lane)
Newbury (Hawthorn Road)
Pangbourne (Horseshoe Road)
Crowthorne (High Street)
Ascot (Station Hill)
Lambourn (Newbury Street)
Maidenhead (Bridge Road)
Langley (London Road)
Wargrave (Victoria Road)
Money raised from recycling textiles will go to help The Fire Fighters Charity provide a range of services for serving and retired fire service personnel and their families, including therapy and rehabilitation for injured firefighters.
Watch Manager Sarah Lewis, who works for the Thames Valley Fire Control Service and is RBFRS’ volunteer charity co-ordinator, said: “The Fire Fighters Charity provides a whole range of fantastic services but depends entirely on donations to do so. Recycling textiles is a really simple way to help a great cause and get rid of some unwanted clutter at the same time.
“There will also be a bit of healthy competition, as the fire station that raises the most money through textile recycling will be awarded a prize by the charity, so why not support your local firefighters and see if you can help them win!”
More about the charity:
The Fire Fighters Charity is the UK’s leading provider of services that enhance the quality of life for serving and retired fire service personnel and their families. Its vision is to make a positive difference by supporting people in the fire and rescue community when they are in need.
The charity operates three centres in the UK: Jubilee House in Cumbria, Marine Court in Littlehampton and Harcombe House in Devon. It also runs a dedicated Helpline and runs beneficiary support services in the community.
The Fire Fighters Charity’s textile recycling scheme has seen nearly 11,500 tonnes of clothes recycled nationwide, raising over £1.75million since it began in 2008.
The recycling competition runs throughout January 2016 but textile donations can be made via the recycling banks at any time.
For more information, visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk