Over £55,000 raised for Fire Fighters Charity through Recycling

Hertfordshire residents have helped raise over £55,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity just by donating unwanted clothes, shoes and other textiles.

Items can be donated at any one of twenty textile banks located at Hertfordshire Fire Stations. The scheme is supported by Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, made up of county, district and borough councils working together to reduce, reuse and recycle Hertfordshire waste.

The Fire Fighters Charity provides confidential, personalised support to the whole of the fire services community including mental health, physical health and social wellbeing services. The charity supports all fire service personnel, whatever their role in the service, as well as serving, retired, spouses and qualified dependents.

Donations have begun to increase again following the pandemic. For the year ending March 2022, over 44,000 kgs of items were generated, with the textile bank at Redbourn topping the list followed by Ware.

Eric Buckmaster, Executive Member for Environment, Hertfordshire County Council, said: ‘I’m delighted that Hertfordshire Fire Station textile banks are able to help with the fantastic work undertaken by the Fire Fighters Charity.

‘The council has a vision to create a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire. It’s important that we support residents with what they throw away and increase recycling and re-use so we can minimise waste.’

Steve Holton, Area Commander, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘I would like to thank both Hertfordshire Waste Partnership and the Fire Fighters Charity for the work they have done.

‘The charity does some fantastic work in supporting the ‘fire family’ and improving the health and wellbeing of our staff.’

Kevin Biles, Sales Manager, The Fire Fighters Charity, said: ‘On behalf of The Fire Fighters Charity I would like to thank both Hertfordshire Waste Partnership and all Hertfordshire residents for your continued support. We continue to develop services for all of our UK fire and rescue personnel and income from your recycling scheme goes a long way in helping us achieve this.’