Chatteris came fourth in England last year - can they repeat their success in the 2020 Fire Fighters Charity 'Bag it and Bank it' recycle challenge?

Planning a New Year clear out? Perfect timing! This month The Fire Fighters Charity is holding its annual “Bag it and Bank it” recycling championship.
Stations are competing with each other to collect the most textile donations in their yellow banks.

Money raised through the January recycling challenge helps The Fire Fighters Charity to make a real life-changing difference to fire service staff and their families in need of support across the UK.

The Fire Fighters Charity coordinator for Cambridgeshire, Station Commander Kevin Turner said: “The Fire Fighters Charity does fantastic work for the firefighting community, so if you’re having a clear out in the New Year or have any unwanted clothes, please drop them off at one of our fire stations’ textile banks, where they’ll be gratefully received.

“Our fire stations have done brilliantly in the competition in previous years. Chatteris came fourth in England in 2019, can we top that this year?”

You can donate adult and children’s clothing, paired socks and underwear, coats, paired shoes, handbags, linen and even fabric scraps.

Donations can be left in the yellow recycling banks at the following locations: Chatteris, March, Manea and Wisbech fire stations.

For a full list of locations across the country, visit: http://bit.ly/2VqDvWZ.

For each tonne of textiles that are donated to a bank on a fire station the charity receives on average £220 to help firefighters in need. Last year more than £600,000 was raised in this way.

As a result of the clothing banks' success the charity no longer sends out collection bags.

The recycling competition runs throughout January, but textile donations can be made via the recycling banks at any time during the year.

For more information, visit: www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/recycle”