20th June 2012

BRIDPORT: Bag a bra for the air ambulance

DORSET residents are being urged to give away their bras in the name of charity.

The paramedics and pilots at the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance are urging women to donate their unwanted bras to help raise funds for the life-saving service.

The fifth annual Bag a Bra week will be hosted by Bournemouth’s Castlepoint Shopping Park between June 25th and July 1st.

But generous residents can drop off any unwanted bras in designated textile bins in Bridport at supermarkets Morrisons and Co-op.

Bag a Bra week aims to fundraise for the service, which flies up to eight emergency missions a day, and benefit women in developing countries who do not have the money or selection of bras offered by retailers in the UK.

Tracy Bartram, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance communications manager said the Bag a Bra scheme was a fun initiative which helped them increase awareness and enabled them to talk to the public about our textile recycling scheme in general.

She said: “It’s such a simple initiative to run.

“Whether you are a group of friends or a local school or a club that meets regularly; you still have time to start collecting.

“We hope that people will bring their unwanted bras to us during the week of the campaign.”

A total of £30,000 has been raised by the air ambulance in the five years it has been collecting in the yellow textile recycling banks in the shopping park.

All unwanted textiles such as clothes, shoes, blankets and towels are welcomed.

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has attended more than 8,700 emergencies since its launch in March 2000.

It has saved many lives and aided recovery with the speed at which casualties have been taken to hospital.

The charity needs to raise £1.4 million a year to keep flying.

With no direct Government or National Lottery funding, it relies on the generosity of the public for support.

In 2011 alone, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance attended 665 incidents of which 108 involved minors (under 16).

Anyone wishing to support the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance can call 01823 669604 or visit www.dsairambulan ce.org.uk

PICTURE: Paramedics Simon Trenchard and Leonie German with Castlepoint’s Peter Matthews (front), DSAA fund-raising co-ordinator Annette Plaistow-Trapaud and pilot Phil Merritt

BRIDPORT: Bag a bra for the air ambulance

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