Press Release

January 2007 - Geeen Santa

The consumer campaign, 'Donate It!' will commence the week beginning 15th of January 2007. This is the second phase for the East regional award winning campaign Choose2Reuse which receives support from Defra's Environmental Action Fund. Charity and Furniture Reuse Shops from 45 charitable organisations across the seven counties in the Anglia Region are taking part in helping promote the 'reuse' message by displaying the campaign posters and handing out free advice leaflets.

The campaign strapline "Donate It!" which features on posters displayed in the 490 participating charity and furniture reuse shops, is being endorsed by the project's mascot "Green Santa". Green Santa and his red sleigh will be on tour at six locations over the first two weeks of the campaign. Members of the public are being urged to bring their good quality reusable items to give to Green Santa to distribute to charity and furniture reuse groups in the area.

There will also be the opportunity to sign the Choose2Reuse pledge register to make a New Year's resolution to "Donate It!" at least three times in 2007.

This Choose2Reuse campaign has many supporters including local authorities keen to see an end to quality reusable items ending up in landfill.

Defra Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said he was delighted that a scheme like 'Choose2Reuse' has been given the support it needs to expand:

"Projects like these are at the very heart of Defra's work and we recognise that voluntary and community groups have an important role to play in getting messages across and engaging with communities and businesses at the grass roots level.

Initiatives like this are essential if we are going to educate people about the impact they have on the environment and encourage people to make a difference."

Choose2Reuse Campaign Manager Nikki DiGiovanni said, "At this time of year, when many people have had a season of excesses and are making New Year's resolutions, we would like people to resolve to Choose2Reuse and donate any unwanted presents or preloved good that have been replaced in the sales to charity shops and furniture reuse groups in their area."

	If you require any further information, please contact
	Contact	Telephone	Email
	Nikki DiGiovanni	01354 742300	nikki@ccorrn.org.uk

Fact file

1. Choose2Reuse was created by CCORRN in 2004 and it has already been acknowledged for environmental best practice by winning a Green Apple Award.

2. The Choose2Reuse campaign now in its second year is receiving £111,000 of grant from Defra's Environmental Action Fund (EAF). The EAF helps voluntary groups in England promote sustainable development through projects on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP). For more information on the fund, including other funded projects see www.defra.gov.uk/environment/eaf/index.htm.

3. The Chose2Reuse campaign is being delivered by the Association of Charity Shops in partnership with the Cambridgeshire and Essex Community Reuse and Recycling Network's (CCORRN & ECORRN)

4. The 7 counties covered by the campaign are Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Northamptonshire.

4. The launch of the campaign through the charity shops will commence the week beginning 15th of January 2007.

5. Electronic copies of the promotional materials (poster and leaflet) are available from Nikki DiGiovanni, 01354 742300 or e-mail: nikki@ccorrn.org.uk