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Shopping is extremely fun! But for now, let’s talk about the dark side of fast fashion and constantly changing trends. The rotation of new clothes coming and the old ones leaving our wardrobes is faster than ever. It is no surprise that, according to UCENE, each year, 85% of all textiles produced globally, go to the dump.
The good news is that 95% of clothes and textiles thrown away could have been re-worn or recycled!
While simply throwing away textiles is the worst way to get rid of them, giving them away for recycling is a good option for worn-out, torn or stained clothes. However, recycling is an expensive procedure that can also become complicated too, due to mixed materials.
Here are 4 ways how you can responsibly take care of your second-hand clothes.
1) Donate
The easiest way to responsibly get rid of used clothes. By donating you are making sure that your clothes don’t end up in landfills. Even more, you financially support charities that are funded by the sales of second-hand clothes. It’s a win-win-win situation.
2) Sell your clothes online
Let your clothes live again by selling them on online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace. Remember, the greater chance to sell well is to buy quality over quantity in the first place!
3) Up-cycle
If you are into arts and crafts, up-cycling (or creative reuse) is another great way to be sustainable with your old clothes. Transform the things you have into completely new ones.
4) Buy second-hand
Buying vintage is not only budget-friendly and guilt-free, but it also allows you to create your own unique style.
iCollectClothes | 13 March 2023
As charity Peer Power marked its sixth year of providing children and young people with health and wellbeing support at a House of Lords reception in June, it shared an important message for youth sector services dealing with trauma.
Driven by her personal experience, Anne-Marie Douglas set up Peer Power in 2016. The organisation supports children and young people who have experienced significant trauma and adversity by using an empathy-focused approach to build trust, foster supportive and consistent relationships, and empower children to speak out. By helping each other become leaders at Peer Power, young people influence policy and guide transformation in local services.At the event, Peer Power presented The Empathy Report which explores the application of empathy in children’s services setting out why it’s important that youth services dealing with trauma are delivered by people with lived experience.
18-year-old, Rico Thai-Richards from Waltham Forest, has been supported by Peer Power since April 2021. Now a Peer Power Expert, Rico spoke about his experience:“Before I came to Peer Power, I had no faith in myself or others. Where I come from it’s every man for himself. People told me that I couldn’t do anything. Peer Power believed in me. I did not trust the police, health or NHS, now I see that they are all people trying their best and are working with us to create change.“I have met people from all walks of life and feel what ambition and success is like. Peer Power helped me develop how I speak in public and gain confidence. I secured the roles of Youth Mayor and Deputy Chair of the London Youth Assembly and got involved in local and national politics. I have been afforded to work with incredible originations such as Project Zero, The London Recovery Board and YIAG (Youth Independent Advisory Group). I hope I can now help other young people make change.
“My plan for the future is helping people from all ethnic backgrounds, no matter what religion you believe in no matter what disability you have people are people.”Another Young Person supported by Peer Power said:They say that in unfortunate circumstances you meet the best people and I wholeheartedly say this is true. Anne-Marie saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. Peer Power has been there for me through good times and bad. It has helped me to be my best self.”Hosting the event for 60 guests was Baroness Usha Prashar who spoke to the eight young Peer Power Experts celebrating the charity’s achievements since it was launched at the House of Lords six years ago.
The charity’s Chair, Dame Lorna Boreland-Kelly, explained how Peer Power has gone from strength to strength, connecting with more than 500 young people, with 92% going into education, training or employment within six months. It has delivered workshops, training and coaching to over 5000 professionals, partnering with organisations such as NHSEI London, Ministry of Justice, Youth Justice Board, HM Inspectorate of Probation, and a range of youth charities. Since 2016, peer power has grown from a staff of 2 to a team of 20, and its patrons include Lord McNally, author Simonetta Hornby and Baroness Usha Prashar.
Anne-Marie Douglas, Founder and CEO of Peer Power, said: Now more than ever, young people need to be heard. Peer Power is here to harness the potential of young people who have suffered trauma, neglect, abuse and crime by providing support, building trusting relationships, and helping services improve. By instilling empathy, listening and taking real action, we can tackle ongoing institutional abuses of children in our care. We are proud of what we have achieved, but it does not stop. We must learn to demonstrate empathy more as a society and empower people to have a voice.
“It was an evening of gratitude to all those involved in Peer Power’s success to date. I was moved by the stories from young people as to how Peer Power had impacted their lives and would like to thank them also for all they do to create system change for their peers as young leaders and positive role models.”
Charity Today | 8 July 2022
A firefighter from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is recovering at home and being supported by The Fire Fighters Charity, after suffering a sudden heart attack midway through a fundraising challenge.Firefighter Sean Ratcliffe, 52, was joined in June by his colleague Jason Haste, 40, as the pair took on a challenge to climb the 20 highest peaks in the UK in under 20 days.Both men trained hard for the two-week event and had passed their operational fitness test as firefighters, just weeks before.However, after completing the 15th peak and resting for the night in Aviemore, Scotland, Sean collapsed without any warning or prior symptoms – with paramedics confirming he’d suffered a heart attack.
Jason, who’s a Crew Manager at Havant Fire Station, said:“If we’d been up a mountain at the time, we’d have been in big trouble.“We decided between us, especially given I was doing the walk for mental health reasons, that I should continue the challenge while Sean was recovering. I’d drop in daily for a few hours to see him, and continue with the final peaks.”Sean, who is a wholetime firefighter at Gosport Fire Station and an on-call firefighter at Eastleigh fire station, is thankfully now recovering well, but it’s meant he’s facing a long stint off work and – having reached out to The Fire Fighters Charity for support with both his physical and mental health before – he knew exactly where to turn for help.The Charity supports serving and retired fire and rescue service personnel, their dependants and other eligible members of the UK fire services community, with their health and wellbeing throughout their lives.
Sean said:“I’ve actually had help from the charity three times. The first was around 1999 when I broke my wrist. I went to Jubilee House, the charity’s centre in Cumbria, and it was absolutely brilliant, it really helped my recovery.“I then got in touch in 2008 for assistance, after I lost everything – including my house.“And finally in 2010, we lost two firefighters in the Shirley Towers fire. I was quite involved, but it wasn’t until a year later that I realised I was really struggling and I was referred to Harcombe House, the charity’s centre in Devon, for a recuperation break in 2011 – just to get away.”Sean is now being supported by the charity’s Welfare Team as he faces time off work to recover at home.Jason, meanwhile, completed 19 peaks in under 14 days but decided to leave the last one to instead help Sean return to his family as soon as possible. Together, and with the support of another colleague, Scott Avery, they’ve raised over £1,800 for The Fire Fighters Charity.