A big thank you goes to St Helens people whose recycling efforts have boosted Save the Children funds by a massive £9,000. Click on the read more text below for more information and image.

Local people made the donation possible by taking part in St Helens Council's Kerbside recycling collection - a fortnightly recycling service for papers, glass, cans and textiles. For every tonne of materials collected, £1 is donated to the Save the Children Fund by Abitibi Consolidated Europe working in partnership with the Council.



Councillor Terry Shields, the Council's Executive Member for Environmental Protection, said: "We want to say a well deserved thank you to local people who have made this possible. A total of 65,000 tonnes of household rubbish is buried in landfill sites each year and we need to recycle an extra 3,000 tonnes in 2005/06 to reach Government targets at a time when household waste is growing by three per cent each year. If you have no room for the smart box then why not recycle your papers and textiles and if you don't want to wash your food cans then just recycle drink cans. By recycling a small amount of items you will make a big difference. Up to 60 per cent of your rubbish can be recycled so why not make a pledge to recycle and help save energy, reduce pollution and help the environment and charity at the same time."

Kay Kendall, Marketing Executive for Save the Children, said: "Thank you to all residents who have taken part in the smart box kerbside recycling scheme. We are delighted to receive the cheque for £9,000. Save the Children is working in the UK and more than 60 countries worldwide to relieve child poverty and give them the best possible start in life. Save the Children is also working in all countries affected by the tsunami to protect children who have been orphaned, separated from their families or made homeless by the disaster. By taking part in the kerbside collection service you are making a real difference to a child's life."

Textiles are also collected through the kerbside scheme on behalf of the Salvation Army which is offering aid and relief to people caught up in the tsunami disaster. During January, February and March the Council is running a number of prize draws for people using the service with the chance to win one of 15 £100 cheques by just placing their materials out on their recycling day. For more information on Think Smart, Take Part. Don't Let It All Go To Waste, or other recycling initiatives contact 01744 456789 or log onto www.sthelens.gov.uk/recycle