Old towels from leading linen laundry supplier CLEAN’s Cheltenham Laundry Site are being put to good use by bee-keeping charity Bees Abroad which has been sending them out to Africa to aid its many projects there.
More than 2,000 donated towels which would otherwise have been ragged, have been sent out to Africa by Bees Abroad. The charitable organisation aims to relieve poverty in parts of Africa by helping citizens set up their own bee-keeping enterprises.
The towels, and a selection of boiler suits for beekeepers to wear, are donated via Bees Abroad volunteer Brian Durk.
Durk, who lives locally to CLEAN’s Hatherley Road site in Cheltenham, collects old towels every three months and sends them to areas where they are most needed.
The latest project is in the village of Karimenga in Ghana. Here, agriculture is the main source of income for three quarters of all households, so bee-keeping improves pollination and provides a second source of income.
CLEAN Cheltenham site director Nick Phillips said: “We are really pleased that our old towels can be put to good use and are helping to build a sustainable economy in areas of extreme poverty. It’s also a great example of where our towels can be reused instead of being ragged.”
Other charities supported by CLEAN Cheltenham include Macmillan Cancer Support, CLEAN’s official chosen charity, as well as the Teenage Cancer Trust and Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
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