Recycling boosting ambulance fund

The air ambulance is funded entirely by voluntary donations

A scheme to recycle textiles from homes in Northamptonshire has collected more than 25 tonnes in its first three weeks raising £12,850 for the air ambulance.

Daventry District Council has linked up with a clothes collection firm to boost recycling of unwanted textiles.

For every tonne collected £50 goes to Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. Starting on 31 March in its first week 6.64 tonnes were picked up.

In the second week 6.77 tonnes were picked up and 12.3 tonnes in the third.

Voluntary donations

"Every household has responded fantastically and given us a real flying start," said Jo Beau-Mont from Daventry District Council.

It is hoped the partnership will be recycling more than 100 tonnes of clothing a year.

The air ambulance is funded entirely by voluntary donations and responds to about 110 calls per month.

It costs £1.4m a year to operate - approximately £3 per minute - and can reach anywhere in Northamptonshire within 15 minutes.