Thousands of electrical items and appliances have been donated by people in Orkney, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
As part of the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, more than 8,000 items have been donated over the past year.
The scheme is now asking for around 4,000 more unwanted electricals to help local residents and save resources.
Supported by Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Council, the project hopes to crack down on electrical waste, provide new jobs and reduce greenhouse gases.
Stella’s Voice
In a final bid for electrical appliances, the campaign is calling on the north and north-east once again to donate unwanted items.
It is hoped that a last-ditch drive will secure another 4,000 items, help safeguard the environment and support local charity Stella’s Voice, which works to protect children from trafficking.
All the working appliances will be tested, and if in good condition, the aim is for at least 2,500 of these to then be re-sold at a low cost to local residents.
Stella’s Voice collects from households across Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen, and through income generated by selling donated items at affordable prices, it is able to provide support both locally and overseas.
Mark Morgan, European director of Stella’s Voice, added: “This project has enabled us to expand our services to the community and create additional volunteering opportunities.
“We are now able to grow a dedicated service for the collections of electricals which was not previously possible, and really hope to see many of you donating valuable electricals for re-use in the community.”
Time to pitch in
With COP26 coming to Glasgow in October and November, the campaign organisers believe there is no better time to pitch in.
World leaders and tens of thousands of negotiators, government representatives, businesses, and citizens will attend the climate conference for twelve days of talks.
Emily Magar, a resident of Stonehaven, said: “I decided to donate to the Recycle Your Electricals project in Stonehaven when I saw information about it, and the benefits that it provides to a local charity like Stella’s Voice, which does such good work for children.
“I hope our small donation is one of many, to make as much impact as possible.”
To deliver the project in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Material Focus funded XS Resources Ltd CIC to set up the collection and donations scheme with Stella’s Voice, as part of the UK-wide Recycle Your Electricals Campaign.
Brian Menzies, director of XS Resources, said: “We are amazed that we have collected 8,000 electricals to date, a huge thanks to the residents of Orkney, Aberdeen, and Aberdeenshire.
“We are two-thirds of the way towards our target and are calling on more residents to join the campaign and help us meet our target of 12,000 unwanted electricals donated.
“We were keen to get behind the Recycle Your Electricals campaign and make it easier for around 2,000 residents to de-clutter, whilst donating to their local charity and doing their bit to save the planet.
“We are delighted to be playing our part in making this happen.”