Textiles

Removing the textiles from the clothing bank and taking them to a safe place was a good idea. So far this year, we have helped Malcolm, the driver from BCR,  load 870kg  of clothes, shoes, curtains,sheets and blankets into his lorry.
Our local police are keeping an eye out for white vans, since one was stopped in one of the local villages  and found to be full of textiles! The van was was caught by CCTV cameras, heading towards and away from Ipswich. So good news all round!

THE BIG GAP

There are no sinister reasons for the lack of postings since September. I've just been busy doing other things, as well as recycling!
However, there has been a lot of extra activity at the recycling centre to insure that all the textiles that are left there, are not stolen by the rogue traders, a nationwide problem it would seem.

TEXTILE BANK AND ROGUE TRADERS

I have a key to our textile bank and keep a check on the amount left there, so I know when items disappear. Then, the police and Black Country Rags are informed, but these thieves seem to be able to carry our their dastardly trade unhindered! I suspect that most textile banks are not monitored, so that most schools and charities who recycle textiles for fundraising purposes, have no idea that these people are taking money from their good cause.

UPDATE

Following this, the police stopped two male occupants in a white transit van, which was full of textiles. more textile banks have been raided in Stowmarket and I'm pleased to report that our local council is taking this very seriously.

They have sent a letter to all organisations that have recycling facilities, warning them about rogue traders and asking everyone to be vigilant and report any suspicious incidents involving

people in unmarked vans trying to gain access to clothing banks.

They are also liaisoning with BCR Global Textiles, who in turn are going to replace our bank witha new, NO ACCESS to anyone who doesn't know the code

B R I L L I A N T

Rogue Traders

Most people will have had one of these charity bags put through their door, asking for old clothes/textiles/bric-a-bracor toys, the proceeds of which will be given to a "good cause"

This one arrived, a few weeks before Christmas. On the appropriate day, a van with bearing the Clothesaid logo, toured the village to collect that bags that had been left out at the kerbside. I have no reason to believe that this scheme is not a legitimate one.

However, I've been aware for some time, that the textile recycling industry is plagued by "rogue traders". their scams include picking the bags up before the legitimate collectors and distributing bags and collecting for fake charities.

My interest in this was heightened last month, when I went to put all the lose items into bags and realised that our textile bank had been raided. The stupid people had left evidence of their illegal actions behind. So they are also gaining access to textile banks and helping themselves to clothing, which they can sell at car boot sales, markets and even, perhap, legitimate textile companies-- who knows? Textiles are quite valuable just now.

The police are are aware of the problem and are keeping an eye on our recycling centre, but it seems that the only way to catch these people is to make a note of the vehicle registration number or take a photo of them doing their dastardly deed. Many schools and most supermarkets have textile banks and the question is -- would you be suspicious to see a bank being emptied by a man with a van?

P.S. Black Country Rags will still continue to collect the textiles that are donated to school, but the procedure will be slightly different! So kind supporters,

PLEASE CONTINUE TO BRING

YOUR TEXTILES TO OUR RECYCLING CENTRE