A MALVERN-based clothes bank set up to raise money for local charities is proving a great success, say organisers.
The bank is based at the Avenue Road headquarters of the Association for Rehabilitation of Communication and Oral Skills (ARCOS), and it has proved so popular that a second one has just been installed.
Kay Coombes, chief executive and clinical director of ARCOS said: “We’ve been looking to raise awareness of just how challenging the lockdowns have been for many families with disabled children.
“We also realised how many people in Malvern have clothes they want to donate to local charities. Having installed our first clothes bank about a year ago and seeing it filled and then emptied twice a week without fail, we were conscious that with charity shops closed people had insufficient choice when looking to donate clothing to local charities.
“People know that by putting clothes into our clothing bank all the money is going to a variety of good causes, including Arcos.”
Coun Beverley Neilsen, who visited ARCOS to mark April being Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, said: “I am pleased to be donating some clothes to such a good cause and would like to congratulate Kay and all her team at Arcos.
“With over 121,000 people living with Parkinson’s in England and with this predicted to increase by a fifth by 2030 to 172,000 nationally, it’s frightening and sobering to learn that two people are diagnosed with this condition every hour. I know how much hard work Arcos put into providing practical and specialised assistance to local families during recent lockdowns.
“ARCOS, like so many other charities has seen its income hit during since Covid, with revenues falling by around 20 per cent, when in fact the needs of our local families dependent on their support have increased during this challenging period.
“I am sure many people will be keen to learn about this opportunity to make donations easily and simply to a national charity on our doorstep which is providing vital services to some of our most challenged families. There is a lot more information about the inspiring work of this charity on their website, arcos.org.uk ”
ARCOS, a national charity based in Malvern since 1992, was set up to improve quality of life for children and adults with disrupted sensation and movement, or difficulties in communication and/or swallowing.
The clothes bank raises funds not only for ARCOS but for Midlands Air Ambulance, PDSA, RSPCA and the British Heart Foundation.
