The WHITEHAVEN community have raised more than £30,000 for charity from hosting clothing collections - with the cause being very close to the organiser's heart.
Jordan Mattinson, 29, first started organising collections in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). He was helped out by his friend Kevin Farrington.
Mr Mattinson said: “We decided to utilise the empty Whitehaven Rugby Club and make use of the spare time we had on our hands, little did we know the first collection would amass over 10 tonnes of clothing.
“The feeling on seeing the clothes build up on the first collection was unbelievable, there were convoys of cars coming to drop off what they classed as unwanted items, and gradually filled up the rugby club.”
After his first successful collection for the charity, Mr Mattinson has continued hosting them at Whitehaven RUFC and Hensingham ARLFC, and members from both clubs have helped out on the days.
READ MORE: Tonnes of help for Great North Air Ambulance
He said: “Without them it wouldn’t be possible, we’ve always had an abundance of helpers on every donation day we’ve done.
“It shows how much the local community value the services of GNAAS.”
Mr Mattinson believes they’ve collected 31 tonnes of clothing, which equates to a donation of approximately £31,000.
He said: “I’d like to hit £100,000 for the GNAAS and won’t be stopping the collections until we do so, but I’d imagine once we hit that we will want even more.”
The importance of raising funds for GNAAS hit home for Mr Mattinson in September 2021, when his grandad had a fall on his 80th birthday, which led to him suffering a stroke and a bleed on the brain.
North West Ambulance Service and GNAAS came to his aid and treated him on scene before taking him to hospital by road.
Mr Mattinson said: “Without GNAAS I’m under no false illusions that my grandad would no longer be with us, which really makes the collections we do hit home and feel a lot more poignant.”
To arrange a clothing collection on behalf of GNAAS, please contact the charity’s collections team on 01325 308 139.
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