A CHURCH shop has raised £63,000 over eight years for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
Emmanuel Church Shop, in Milton Street, Saltburn, donates all unsold clothing to the charity.
The GNAAS Trading Company, the recycling arm of the life-saving charity, collects bags from the entirely volunteer-led shop every fortnight.
Volunteer, Margaret Brignall, said: “We wanted to give to a local charity because you never know when you are going to need the lifesaving service.”
As well as supporting GNAAS, the shop also raises money for the Emmanuel Church.
Clare Crabtree, from GNAAS Trading Company, said: “We have had huge support from Emmanuel Church Shop over the years and we want to say a massive thank you to everybody who has taken clothing in to the shop. The amount raised is just phenomenal.
“We encourage people to hold community clothing collections whereby everyone in the community drops off clothing at a village hall or school and we pick it up.”
The shop is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, for anyone who would like to drop off their unwanted clothes.
GNAAS Trading Company’s green and white collection vans collected 19 tonnes last time they were in the Redcar and Cleveland area, before Christmas.
All of the bags collected are taken to the Newton Aycliffe depot where clothing, footwear and household textiles are collected before being sold to buyers in Europe.
Mandy Drake, head of fundraising at GNAAS, said: “Now is the time that people are thinking of having a New Year clear out, so we ask people to donate their unwanted clothes to us. All of the proceeds will go directly towards keeping our aircraft flying.”
To arrange a collection please call GNAAS Trading Company on 01325 307 753.
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