Army invites schools to get recycling clothing

SCHOOLS across Wokingham borough are being encouraged to team up with a leading charity to help prevent clothes and shoes from going to landfill.

The Salvation Army, which has a church in Wokingham’s Sturges Road, has launched Recycle With Michael, an initiative way to save what it says could be thousands of tonnes of unwanted items.

Schools that sign up to the scheme will be challenged to fill as many collection bags as possible before the end of March 2019, for the chance to be crowned Michael’s recycling champions. The winning school – calculated as the one with the highest ratio of bags to pupils – will receive a trophy, certificate and a very special visit from Michael, the scheme’s mascot.

Designed for primary school-aged children, the Army says that the programme is also an important way for schools to generate much-needed funds as a percentage of the bags’ financial value is donated back to the school to spend how they wish.

The remaining funds raised will go towards supporting The Salvation Army’s work among vulnerable people from all walks of life in communities across the UK.

And the Army said that the scheme aims to educate young people about the importance of recycling in a fun and engaging way.

The programme is supported by free downloadable school materials such as presentations, posters and lesson plans which teach environmental and charitable messages.

Kirk Bradley, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd, said: “We’ve tried to make the scheme as easy as possible for schools to take part in. By following four simple steps, schools across Berkshire can receive a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of their donations directly into their school accounts.

“Many families sort and clear their homes in the New Year. We hope our competition will encourage everyone to give unwanted items a new lease of life. The initiative not only supports local children but also local communities through the work of The Salvation Army to tackle homelessness, poverty, addiction, modern slavery, unemployment and loneliness.”

For more details, log on to recyclewithmichael.co.uk