With the help of the charity East London Community Recycling Partnership (ELCRP), Ladbrokes has collected 7,500 of its former shirts from 540 Ladbrokes shops throughout East London and the South East.

The next step is for ELCRP to de-tag the shirts to remove logos and name badges, before distributing them to charities in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.

The project has created employment opportunities, providing jobs to the long term unemployed and people with learning difficulties.

ELCRP is a not-for-profit community organisation founded in 2001, based in Hackney and spanning several London Boroughs.

Ladbrokes has worked with the charity before, having recently launched a trial scheme which saw food waste, paper and cardboard collected from 17 of its shops in Newham.

Compost produced during the scheme is used directly by the local community in gardens, parks and open spaces, while any profit from the organisation is reinvested or spent improving the local community.

ELCRP’s Michelle Carey said: “Our organisation thrives on working alongside organisations and companies such as Ladbrokes and this clothes recycling project is part of a larger scheme we have been operating with them and look forward to expanding further.

“We would of course encourage other businesses to take Ladbrokes’ lead and recycle waste via us rather than throwing it into landfill.”

Conor McGlone

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe