The Great North Air Ambulance Service’s (GNAAS) clothing collection team is a vital part of our charity, supporting us through collecting your unwanted clothing and turning it into donations.
Members of the public can donate unwanted clothing and shoes, and our team picks it up. We receive a very good price for the clothing from our buyers, many of whom are based in mainland Europe. Donated items are often sold in clothing shops; nothing is shredded or sold as rags. Any funds are donated directly to GNAAS.
Meet Jodie Coates, supervisor at the Trading Company. As well as working in the office and supporting the day-to-day logistics, and even operating the forklift, she is not afraid to get stuck into anything!
Our marketing intern Ella Wilson interviewed Jodie to find out what her role involves…
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
It’s quite hard to answer this question because no two days are the same!
So, I start work then I might be in the office for an hour or so, and I will help the guys with the emails, voicemails and Facebook messages if needed.
Then I might go out and do pick-ups if we have any of the drivers off. Once the vans are back, I will help them weigh off and unload.
If there is a wagon in, usually two of us will load it (one bringing the bags out, one going up the ramp and loading), we weigh it on our weighbridge first and then load, then weigh it a second time once loaded.
In all fairness I do a bit of everything.
What are your duties in your role?
My duties are to maintain smooth running of the Trading Company.
I organise wagons, staff holidays, rotas for the 8,000 sqm region we cover, and manage which drivers will be doing what area.
I also manage the emails, assisting the people organising collections, and I book in and arrange school collections.
I even take the vans to the garage if needed and usually help them to unload the vans after collections.
What is your favourite part of the job?
I would have to go back to the fact that no two days are ever the same!
And of course, it is raising vital funds for GNAAS and it’s just amazing to think we are a small part of that.
We are lucky that we get to go out daily to meet the people who support the charity and have needed our care, so we can appreciate how important the charity is to the region and want to help however we can.
If a supporter wants to arrange a collection, what do they need to do?
We offer arranged collections from Monday to Friday. The areas our collection teams visit include County Durham, the Wear Valley, Tees Valley, Northumberland and Cumbria.
As well as clothing we accept used stamps, mobiles/tablets, games consoles and old cameras that can also be sold on.
To arrange a collection at a time that suits you, call our team on 01325 308139 or click here to fill in an enquiry form on our website.
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