Gosport residents now have16 textile recycling banks in which to place unwanted clothes, blankets, textiles and old shoes.
Using textile banks to dispose of unwanted clothes, fabrics and shoes instead of dumping them in the household rubbish, means people are not just helping local charities, but are also helping the environment and the economy.
Two new Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance textile banks have recently been installed in Gosport - one at the Green Dragon car park, Rowner Road, and the other at Whites Place off of Forton Road.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is a vital service to the communities of Hampshire and The Isle of Wight. It can be airborne within 3 minutes of a 999 call, reach most of the region within 15 minutes and land on an area half the size of a tennis court. The charity campaign to fund the service was launched in October 2005 and, once enough is raised for the aircraft to become operational, it will fly an average 2 or 3 missions a day, many of them life saving.
With in excess of £65,000 to raise every month, the organisation relies heavily on donations, so any clothing donated through the Air Ambulance banks will be of terrific help to this vital service – after all none of us know when we might need it!
Another new addition to Gosport’s growing family of textile banks is a British Heart Foundation Clothing Bank at The Range, Gunners Way. Money raised from textiles donated here goes towards research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease - saving and improving the quality of lives of thousands of people across the UK and the world.
The new banks complement existing ones, many of which are Salvation Army. The income The Salvation Army receives helps fund beds for the homeless, food and drink for the hungry and comfort and help for the lonely, sick and deprived.
So you see that old ball gown or those old jogging bottoms that you were going to throw out all have a value and can really make a difference. Most textile banks take all types of clothing; Men’s, women’s and children’s. It can be any size and quality, but, clean items only please. You can also recycle shoes at most banks, anything from boots to stilettos, but please keep them in pairs. Household textiles such as curtains, towels, bed linen and feather duvets and pillows can also be accepted at some banks.
Please place all recyclable items in carrier bags or bin liners before depositing, to keep them clean. And don’t worry if they’ve had a lot of wear – if they cannot be re-sold in a charity shop they can be passed on to companies able to reuse them.
Some are sent to Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe for reuse, other worn and damaged textiles can be cut and converted for use as industrial wiping cloths, or rewoven into new clothes or blankets.
Specialist shoe recycling banks maintained by the European Recycling Company are also available in the Borough. Collected shoes are sorted for suitability, and distributed to developing countries around the world. They are sold at affordable prices to local traders and craftsmen so that refurbishment work is done by local people, creating much needed employment and shoes for people's feet.
To find the location of your nearest textile bank, or for more information on textile recycling, contact Streetscene Tel: FREEPHONE 08000 198598, or log onto www.gosport.gov.uk/sections/streetscene.
