Staff at St Albans City and District Council raised almost £5,000 as part of the Council’s commitment to the “Oxfam Collects at Work Scheme”.
The Council signed up to the scheme in July 2010 as part of a wider scheme to improve recycling facilities. Since then, employees have donated unwanted items such as clothes, books and DVDs to be reused, preventing 708kg from going to landfill.
The “Oxfam Collects at Work Scheme” makes it easy for employees to donate their unwanted items to Oxfam, without having to make a special trip to their nearest Oxfam shop. Goods are collected once a fortnight and employees who sign up to gift aid can receive feedback on how much money their donations have raised and the difference it will make to those in need. For example: 10 handbags could provide books and chalk to a school in Zambia whilst 100 shirts could provide an essential irrigation system in Honduras.
Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environmental commented: “The Oxfam Collects at Work Scheme” is an inspiring idea and one that benefits so many people as well as the environment. It is more important than ever that we reduce, reuse and recycle wherever possible and this is an excellent way in which we can ensure that any goods we no longer want, can be re-used to help contribute something far more meaningful.”
Claire McCreesh, Manager of the Oxfam shop in St Peter’s Street said: “I am so pleased that St Albans City and District Council employees continue to generously support my shop by donating goods. We have made hundreds of pounds from the gifts we have collected, which has been used to support Oxfam’s life changing work around the world.”
To find out more about how you can join the “Oxfam Collects at Work Scheme”, please visit their website: www.oxfam.org.uk/collects/atwork, or telephone Brian Harley, Corporate Relationship Manager on 07810 504363 or send an e-mail to: bharley@oxfam.org.uk.
Member contact:
Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles, Portfolio Holder for Environment, St Albans City and District Council, Tel: 01727 760060 Mob: 07956 220264
Contact for the press:
Amanda Wilkinson, Media and Internal Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council, Tel: 01727 819317. e-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk