November 10, 2014 1.32 pm This story is over 112 months old

Lincolnshire clothing cast-offs push dementia funds above £90k

50 tonnes: Unwanted clothing donated by Lincolnshire Co-operative shoppers has added over £7,000 to the total collected in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.
Some 50 tonnes of unwanted clothing was donated in aid of the Alzheimer's charity.

Some 50 tonnes of unwanted clothing donated by Lincolnshire Co-operative shoppers has added over £7,000 to the total collected in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

People in Lincoln and other Co-op locations have donated their second-hand garments for the organisation’s Charity of the Year, bringing their fundraising total to £90,717.

The money raised by shoppers and members will go towards life-changing support for people living with dementia.

The clothing was donated to Salvation Army clothing banks located at stores in Lincoln, Newark, Sleaford, Spalding, Grimsby, Louth, Market Rasen, Skegness and Boston.

In the period from April 2014 to September 2014, the Salvation Army collected nearly 50 tonnes of clothes, generating over £15,000 in profit. Of this, Lincolnshire Co-op received £7,848 towards its Charity of the Year total.

Cake sales, charity cycle rides and fancy dress fun are just some of the ways that staff at Lincolnshire Co-op have teamed up to support Alzheimer’s Society since it became the Charity of the Year in January.

Colleagues at the Society have also signed up to become Dementia Friends, with 192 receiving training since January this year.

The scheme is designed to create more dementia-friendly communities, and half a million people have signed up nationally so far.

Member Engagement Manager Richard Whittaker said: “It’s an impressive sum and we’re really grateful to be able to put it towards such a great cause.

“We couldn’t have raised this money without the continued support of our members and customers, so we’d like to say a big thank-you to them.”