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Rotarian Terry Parkes admires the sewing machines
5th Rotary recycling day a huge success
Residents of the Ilkley area responded magnificently on Saturday, 22 September, when the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club held their 5th annual recycling day for unwanted items.
The club collected hundreds of items, including 113 bicycles, 26 sewing machines and 52 pairs of spectacles. These along with wheelchairs, rollators, backpacks, mowers and four van loads of tools and equipment will now be refurbished and put back into use.
Rotarian Chris Jones said “Many thanks to the people of Ilkley and the surrounding area who came down to the Central Car Park with their unwanted items on Saturday, the weather was kind and the items flowed all day. These are tremendous gifts which will transform lives.”
Bicycles and wheelchairs are refurbished by the Keighley based Margaret Carey Foundation, who run workshops in various prisons in England, they are then donated to people in the Third World. Mobility aids - including walking frames, crutches and rollators - are refurbished by the PhysioNet charity and will also make their way to the Third World.
Hand and Power Tools, Workshop Equipment and Sewing Machines will be taken by the Ilkley based "Tools for Africa" volunteer group who will clean them up, refurbish them, and forward them.
Unwanted spectacles will be sent to SpecSort and refurbished ready for distribution in Africa.
For the first year backpacks were collected for the charity Mary’s Meal, who are providing assistance to schools in impoverished 3rd world countries where education is of paramount importance in helping to raise living standards.
More information is available at the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club website.
If you missed the day and have items you would like to donate, please contact the relevant charity below, or keep it safe until next year’s recycling day.
Bikes, Wheelchairs and Mobility Aids – contact the Margaret Carey Foundation -www.margaretcareyfoundation.org.uk/contact-us/
Hand Tools, Power Tools, Sewing Machines – email Francis McCrickard thatcanyon@gmail.com
Back packs - www.marysmeals.org.uk
Spectacles – there are collection boxes in various opticians in Ilkley