air ambulance clothes recycling

earthstorm

I find it appalling that the Air Ambulance service in general have to rely 100% on public donations

Torry_Quine

Until recently all air ambulances in Scotland were funded by the NHS but we now have one funded by charity in Perthshire.

hollydays

mumto2loves wrote: »

This may be just a rant and maybe a warning.

I was told today that the man in a van who goes round emptying the big yellow metal bins for clothes (the ones that are normally in car parks next to the bottle banks) gets paid £85 for each bin load he collects. (hhmm seems like quite a lot for a charity to pay out imo)
But he said he is allowed to sort through the clothes and take what he wants. His wife sells anything decent on ebay. They also take anything that they themselves or their children can use and wear. (He was laughing that he hasn't spent a penny on clothes yet for his 8 month old baby)

I'm shocked at this. I have put bags and bags of clothes in there thinking it was going to be sold and the money given to the air ambulance charity.

Am I totally naïve? Is this general knowledge??

Actually, it occurs to me that if HE or or employer are paying air ambulance directly for the rags-ie buying them, this may not be theft.
But I too fell very strongly this is not what the public THINK they are signing up to when they put their lovely clothes into the bin.
I think that's a very very important point.

earthstorm

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Until recently all air ambulances in Scotland were funded by the NHS but we now have one funded by charity in Perthshire.

Yes in Scotland the NHS understand the AAS is a vital service. Just a pity the NHS in England dont think the same.

As a business owner i support our local AAS as much as i can, collection boxes in my stores, i take one when i do fairs and also sell their merchandise.
They helped me 3 years ago when my van went off the road in the middle of nowhere.

bluenoseam

earthstorm wrote: »

Yes in Scotland the NHS understand the AAS is a vital service. Just a pity the NHS in England dont think the same.

As a business owner i support our local AAS as much as i can, collection boxes in my stores, i take one when i do fairs and also sell their merchandise.
They helped me 3 years ago when my van went off the road in the middle of nowhere.

The major difference being the fact that Scotland has a significant population whom live on islands - without AAS they'd pretty much be up the creek without a paddle. I do concur that they should be a funded service, but I also understand that money's a finite resource.

earthstorm

bluenoseam wrote: »

I do concur that they should be a funded service, but I also understand that money's a finite resource.

But they fund the land ambulance service.

also they have given the Air Sea Rescue contract to a private company, main reason the Sea Kings used by the RAF are outdated, so just another way to get rid of yet another MOD unit

spacey2012

The Sea Kings can fly in a category 3/4 wind, the replacements can not.
Which kind of defeats a rescue helicopter designed to go to sea.
They were the most able sea helicopter ever built and IMO nothing can ever come near to replacing one.

earthstorm

spacey2012 wrote: »

The Sea Kings can fly in a category 3/4 wind, the replacements can not.
Which kind of defeats a rescue helicopter designed to go to sea.
They were the most able sea helicopter ever built and IMO nothing can ever come near to replacing one.

The Westland Sea King is 55 years old next year, so its really had its day, just with the contract being given elsewhere it means bases will close and the fleet expected to be cut from 40 to 22

spacey2012 wrote: »

They were the most able sea helicopter ever built and IMO nothing can ever come near to replacing one.

Thats what they said about the sea kings predecessor WESSEX (1976 to 1997) and its predecessor THE WHIRLWIND (1955 to 1979)

hollydays

But we all agree its a wonderful service , and no doubt there will be tales of lives saved, but what do we think of the ethics of the op.
I would expect if I gave my very good quality clothes to a charity they would be sold piece by piece( has anyone seen oxfams prices) not for minimum price as rags.
So that eg helicopter pilots could be paid better or more peoples lives could be saved.
This makes my blood boil.
Like a lot of businesses-charity shop managers are being pushed to reach targets.. Anyhow anyway.

earthstorm

When the coordinator turns up tomorrow to empty the charity box i may ask her about what the OP says about drivers taking the first pick of donated clothes