A LIFE-saving charity has collected over £100,000 in clothes bank donations, with a scheme that has been operating in Cirencester and Gloucestershire.

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) have teamed up with BIU Group since August 2012, collecting donations at over 50 clothes banks across various locations including Cirencester Hospital, Waitrose Cirencester and various Tesco Stores across the county.

In February this year, the amount raised hit £100,000 thanks to the generosity of local people using the dedicated clothes banks to dispose of their unwanted clothing, shoes and household textiles.

All items collected are sold to organisations around the world who sort and sell the clothes or recycle them into other uses, such as mattress filling.

Head of fundraising at GWAAC, Emma Carter, said: “Thank you to everyone who has chosen to support us by recycling everything from old clothes to bras to shoes and for all of those organisations who have hosted our banks and organised clothing collections over the years, we are incredibly grateful for your support.”

Carrie Carpenter, charity relations Manager at BIU Group, said: “We are extremely pleased to have raised over £100k for Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, a service that has saved so many lives across the region over the years.”

To find out where your nearest clothes bank is, visit biugroup.co.uk/banklocator.