This in from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, in their won words. Ed
Generous donors across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are still being targeted by commercial companies, misleading them into thinking they are donating their clothing and other textiles to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
A company called ‘Air Ambulance Service’ is once again putting their collecting bags through letter boxes across the county.
Donations going to commercial company
This is leading people to think they are donating their unwanted textiles to their own local Air Ambulance when in fact this is a commercial company, and is in no way connected to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
John Perry, CEO of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance said, “sadly we are again receiving complaints from residents across the county about these collecting bags. People are enormously generous, and when they realise they are giving their textiles to a commercial company for their own profit, rather than to the charity, they are very cross, and feel misled. We have had many reports of these bags being distributed, and we would like to alert the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to make sure that donations intended for your Air Ambulance are not accidentally given to a profit making company which has no connection with any of the county Air Ambulances.
“I want to advise people that Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance do not send leaflets through letter boxes, nor do we delivery plastic collecting bags. All our textile recycling is done through our partner Bag It Up, who have over 300 yellow recycling banks around the county and our Head Office on 02380 333377can give donors the location of their nearest recycling bank. If you have a very large amount of textiles, we can arrange for them to be collected.”
