LETTER: Recycle your clothes and help the Salvation Army

This year marks our 20th anniversary and we’d like to extend our sincere thanks to all your readers who have helped us with their generous donations over the past two decades, and to remind them to recycle any old clothes they won’t be wearing this summer.

There are lots of ways to donate, whether it’s via clothing banks at a local supermarket or recycling centre, a door-to-door collection bag, or one of our charity shops. We can accept all unwanted clothing, shoes, household linens – even cuddly toys – although we do prefer things to be clean! Readers can find their nearest banks and shops at www.wear2bank.co.uk.

It’s so important to our environment that we don’t put textiles into landfill as they’re more harmful to the environment than many people imagine – in fact, the CO2 savings from textile recycling is second only to aluminium yet only 24% of what is possible is currently recycled or reused.

The donated clothing helps stock our charity shops, meet human need identified by The Salvation Army and is also exported to provide affordable clothing in Eastern Europe.

Profit SATCoL receives from the donations is gift-aided to help The Salvation Army in the UK and Republic of Ireland and funds work such as homelessness services, support for those with addictions, elderly care and much, much more. In the past three years we’ve donated £16.2m. to the charity and support from your readers has made this all possible.

PAUL OZANNE

NATIONAL RECYCLING CO-ORDINATOR, SALVATION ARMY TRADING COMPANY LTD