Local Recyclers Raise £9,000 For Dove House Hospice

Residents urged to donate their old large electrical appliances – with free collections introduced!

Recycling residents in Hull and the East Riding have raised more than £9,000 for Dove House Hospice through their support of a new Reuse Electricals Shop.

The shop, in Marfleet Lane, Hull, was launched in July to resell good quality electrical appliances, such as fridges and washing machines, which residents no longer want and donate at the area’s household waste recycling sites.

More than 200 items have been sold so far – but residents are being urged to help by donating their old appliances so the shop can cope with the demand from customers.

Now, to try to increase donations, the shop has introduced free collections of people’s unwanted large electricals – as long as they are in good, working order and suitable for resale.

Every year, thousands of working fridges, freezers, washing machines and other large domestic appliances are taken to household waste recycling sites across the Hull and East Riding areas – with many suitable for reuse.

As a result, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Dove House Hospice and FCC Environment teamed up to launch the Reuse Electricals Shop project to specifically target those items.

The scheme helps the environment, helps local residents on lower incomes and raises much-needed funds for Dove House Hospice, which cares for people from across the Hull and East Riding areas.

The two councils were successful in bidding for funding for the project from the Distributor Takeback Scheme fund for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling (WEEE).

The shop has created three new jobs for local residents and is predicted to benefit around 1,750 low-income households in the Hull and East Riding areas.

The offer of free collections applies to the following items:

• fridges, freezers, and combined fridge-freezers
• washing machines
• tumble dryers
• dishwashers
• electric cookers and ovens
• microwave ovens.

But all appliances MUST be in good working order, suitable for resale and pass an electrical safety test (PAT test) on-site – or else the shop cannot collect them.

Unwanted electrical appliances can also be donated at any one of the 13 household waste recycling sites in the Hull and East Riding area.

Councillor Chris Matthews, the portfolio holder for strategic property and infrastructure at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I’m really pleased the Reuse Electrical Shop has been a success and is really popular with residents in the area.

“But we really do need more donations of appliances to cope with the demand – so if anyone has an old fridge, freezer or washing machine they don’t want, then please let us know, as this project really can put them to good use.

“By doing this you’re helping local families, raising money for Dove House and being a big help to the environment.”

Councillor Anita Harrison, the portfolio holder for streetscene at Hull City Council, said: “We want to encourage residents to donate their unwanted working white goods for reuse which can now be collected at the doorstep, provided it passes the PAT test when the staff arrive for collection.

“We hope that this project will reduce the amount of unnecessary waste, give the residents the chance to pick up quality white goods at a competitive price, increase reuse and have a positive impact on the environment.”

The Dove House Reuse Electricals Shop is at 254 Marfleet Lane, Hull, and is open from 9am to 5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Residents in the Hull and East Riding area can get free delivery of goods purchased at the shop.

All proceeds from the shop go towards supporting Dove House Hospice.

For more information about donating your unwanted electricals and arranging a collection, please call the Reuse Electricals Shop on 01482 710284 or email b.stothard@dovehouse.org.uk.