Flying start for old mobile fundraiser

A Staffordshire company has teamed up with banking giant Barclays to help raise money for the County Air Ambulance appeal.

European Textiles Limited, based at Hollies Business Park, on Hollies Park Road, Cannock, has launched a scheme to help people recycle their old mobile phones and help raise cash for the lifesaving charity at the same time.

Mobile phone technology is rapidly changing, with old and outdated mobiles often being discarded, but now handsets can be donated at special bins at 17 branches of Barclays Bank across Staffordshire.

Flying start for old mobile fundraiser

A Staffordshire company has teamed up with banking giant Barclays to help raise money for the County Air Ambulance appeal.

European Textiles Limited, based at Hollies Business Park, on Hollies Park Road, Cannock, has launched a scheme to help people recycle their old mobile phones and help raise cash for the lifesaving charity at the same time.

Mobile phone technology is rapidly changing, with old and outdated mobiles often being discarded, but now handsets can be donated at special bins at 17 branches of Barclays Bank across Staffordshire.

For each phone deposited in the special recycle bins European Textiles will donate £2 to the County Air Ambulance. The campaign is looking to collect over two million old mobile phones from across the region and raise enough money in the process to help County Air Ambulance fly a further 1,330 air missions.

Lindsay Wright, Barclays Bank community relations adviser, said that everyone was fully supportive of the new scheme.

She said: “Everyone at our branches across Staffordshire is very keen to encourage all our customers to support this initiative by bringing in their old mobile phones for recycling and in so doing raise vital funds for our local helicopter service.”

Helen Hitchman, area fundraising co-ordinator for the County Air Ambulance, added: “We are very grateful to European Textiles Limited for their ongoing support and the introduction of this scheme. I am also delighted that Barclays Bank and all the staff at branches through Staffordshire have agreed to support the scheme and become one of the first to install a phone recycle bin on their premises.”

The County Air Ambulance serves an area of 8,000 square miles and a population of eight million covering nine counties including the West Midlands, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

The service also provides a secondary response in neighbouring Warwickshire and Powys.

For each phone deposited in the special recycle bins European Textiles will donate £2 to the County Air Ambulance. The campaign is looking to collect over two million old mobile phones from across the region and raise enough money in the process to help County Air Ambulance fly a further 1,330 air missions.

Lindsay Wright, Barclays Bank community relations adviser, said that everyone was fully supportive of the new scheme.

She said: “Everyone at our branches across Staffordshire is very keen to encourage all our customers to support this initiative by bringing in their old mobile phones for recycling and in so doing raise vital funds for our local helicopter service.”

Helen Hitchman, area fundraising co-ordinator for the County Air Ambulance, added: “We are very grateful to European Textiles Limited for their ongoing support and the introduction of this scheme. I am also delighted that Barclays Bank and all the staff at branches through Staffordshire have agreed to support the scheme and become one of the first to install a phone recycle bin on their premises.”

The County Air Ambulance serves an area of 8,000 square miles and a population of eight million covering nine counties including the West Midlands, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

The service also provides a secondary response in neighbouring Warwickshire and Powys.