Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is launching a contactless, clothes and textile home collection service within Southampton City Council and Eastleigh Borough Council areas. The initiative will also be available to people in the Test Valley and Isle of Wight areas in the coming weeks.
Each tonne of textiles, including clothes, shoes and hats, bags, belts and bras, that is donated, will guarantee at least £210 for the life-saving Charity, ensuring they can continue to provide critical care to the most seriously ill and injured people in the region.
Each year, an estimated 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothing in the UK is sent to landfill, approximately £140 million worth, taking on average 200 years to biodegrade.
Director of Fundraising, Rachel Leaman, says,
‘Wardrobe clear-outs throughout the lockdowns have provided us with a golden opportunity to get real value from people’s previously-loved clothing. Each item of clothing will go towards helping us be there for the most critically ill and injured people in our region. So, the next time you’re clearing a space in your wardrobe, drop any of your unwanted clothes into a bag and help to save a life.’
As well as a home collection service, a selection of clothing banks in support of HIOWAA will be placed across the region later in the year. These banks are seen as a long-term sustainable revenue stream, which will help ensure the Air Ambulance can carry on saving lives for many years to come.
To book your collection slot, please send your full address and the number of bags to be collected to [email protected] or for more information, visit www.hiowaa.org/recycle
