Walking Aids project in North West Surrey
Residents across Spelthorne are being encouraged to return their used mobility aids that they no longer require, so the NHS can recycle them for reuse to be greener and save money too.
The new initiative is a collaborative effort which is fronted by the library team across the seven libraries in the Staines group (Ashford, Chertsey, Egham, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury).
The initiative enables residents to drop off their used mobility aids at any of the participating libraries in the Staines group. Once collected, the items are collated in a central location, the Staines Library, where they are carefully organised and stored.
When there are enough aids returned (typically around 20-30 items), the library team coordinates with Milbrook, the walking aid management company who are a trusted partner, to pick up the aids and ensure they are either recycled or cleaned for reuse.
Tim Maidment, Library Group Manager at Surrey County Council said:
This collaboration has risen out of a desire to build a resilient network supporting our local communities. The response has been wonderful, helping people within their local neighbourhoods and reducing carbon footprints as items are recycled or returned to active use rather than gathering dust in cupboards.
In returning these aids to be cleaned for repurposing or recycled, they can be redistributed within the local community by the therapy staff.
Sue Wales, Head of Strategic Transformation at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals said:
The collaboration between the Staines group libraries and the local community demonstrates the power of collective efforts in enhancing the lives of individuals in the local area. As the initiative continues to grow, the libraries look forward to serving as a conduit for goodwill and positively impacting the lives of those in need.
For more information and to get involved, please visit any of the participating libraries in the Staines group.