Appeal for Wigan residents to donate unwanted walking sticks and crutches to help environment

During National Recycle Week, which runs until October 23, people are encouraged to return, reuse and recycle walking aids such as walking sticks, frames or crutches, as part of Greater Manchester’s bid to be carbon neutral by 2038.

Items can be taken to 23 drop-off points across the city-region, including household waste recycling centres and hospitals, in a new partnership between the NHS and Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM).

Lesley Hadley, chief allied health professional at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chairman of Greater Manchester Allied Health Professions Council, said: “Fortunately, many of our patients only require walking aids for a short period of time but this can mean they end up lying unused at home, long after they have served their purpose.

"Returned items will be checked, cleaned and refurbished where possible so they can be used by another patient. This will help to improve access for patients, save money for the NHS and reduce carbon emissions.”

It is estimated that each hospital in Greater Manchester could save up to £46,000 a year and carbon emissions equivalent to driving around the M60 157 times, if 40 per cent of walking aids currently in circulation were returned to the NHS.

A refurbished walking aid produces around 87 per cent less carbon emissions than a new one.

Find out where to take unwanted walking aids by going to the Recycle Now online locator form provided by national environmental charity WRAP.