RECYCLING supporters have been praised for providing Ark Cancer Centre Charity with a crucial fundraising boost – resulting in nearly £63,000 being raised despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, Ark’s partnership with Bag It Up (BIU) Group saw the charity’s income from clothes and shoes recycling in its 50 branded banks in and around Basingstoke and Deane almost double from the impressive £35,333 figure that was raised during 2019.

The good news has been announced on World Cancer Day (February 4) – and supporters are being encouraged to keep up their recycling support as most of Ark’s banks remain open as they have been throughout the pandemic.

It was in 2016 that Ark became a charity partner of BIU Group – one of the UK’s leading clothing and textile recycling companies.

The partnership means Ark is among BIU’s charity partners to benefit from a percentage of the proceeds when residents, businesses and community groups recycle their unwanted clothing and shoes in Ark-branded BIU recycling banks in Hampshire.

Merv Rees, Ark Cancer Centre Charity trustee and renowned liver cancer surgeon, said: “Thank you so much to everyone who has recycled clothes and shoes in Ark-branded recycling banks since the first national lockdown began last March.

“This free, easy and sustainable method of fundraising has provided a much-needed, and appreciated, income stream for Ark during the most challenging time.”

Mr Rees added: “Despite the considerable impact of Covid-19, I am pleased to say that significant progress has been made by Ark and our Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) colleagues over the past year in working towards our key goal – improving care and support for cancer patients and their loved ones.

“Work started on the Ark-funded supportive care centre in the existing Radiotherapy Unit at Basingstoke hospital in 2020, and I am delighted to say that the project is nearing completion.

“Ark will also be funding the supportive care and complementary therapies that will be provided to cancer patients and their families and carers in the new facilities. In addition, Ark will fund the hire of rooms in The Ark Conference Centre for educational meetings that will enhance the support given to cancer patients and their families.

“HHFT’s long-standing commitment is to deliver a state-of-the-art cancer treatment centre, and Ark’s mission is to support this goal, which is part of the Hampshire Together programme focusing on the delivery of a new hospital in or near Basingstoke between 2024 and 2030.”

You can find your nearest Ark-branded recycling bank by checking out the location map at https://biugroup.co.uk/banklocator/