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Reuben’s Retreat counts cost of disappearing clothes recycling banks

Reuben’s Retreat is among charities reported to be counting the cost after hundreds of clothing banks were taken from car parks around the country.

Recycling companies working with the Textile Recycling Association say sometimes up to 20 a week have gone missing in the last year across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to the BBC.

Some have been rebranded with a different charity logo and placed at sites without permission, according to the TRA.

It says charities receive on average £70 worth of donations a week from each of the 25,000 clothes banks across the UK.

The Charity Commission has launched an investigation after 750 clothing banks disappeared.

The TRA says the cost of replacing a bank can be up to £1,500 and the total bill to its members could be as much as £1 million.

Glossop-based Ruben’s Retreat provides support to families who have lost a child or have children with life-limiting illnesses.

It receives donations from a recycling company, but the amount it receives has now been reduced after a number of clothing banks were taken.

Nicola Graham – who worked at Red Sea Holidays before founding the charity in 2012 after the death of her son Reuben – told BBC 5 Live: “It will have a significant impact on our funding stream.

“Reuben’s little photograph is on that bin, and all our details.

“It just beggars belief that somebody can think that it’s OK to take from charity and actually take something with his little face on it.”

MoreBBC Radio 5 live investigates [External]

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