The Textile Recycling Association, the UK’s trade association for collectors, graders and exporters of used clothing described the outcome of a recent with Nick Hurd (Minister for Civil Society) and other key stakeholders from the police, trading standards, local authority, business and charity sector, as one of the most promising from a Governmental meeting in years.
The roundtable meeting was called by the Minister during a Parliamentary debate in October after Tracey Crouch MP tabled a motion condemning the activities of Bogus Charity Collectors.
Stakeholders at the meeting, heard about the work that has been done so far by Det. Ch. Supt. Steve Head, DCI Dave Clark and their team at the Economic Crimes Directorate for the City of London police. The initiative which was instigated by the Textile Recycling Association has already started the process of gathering intelligence.
“Following an initial meeting back in October, the TRA arranged the first intelligence gathering meeting with the City of London police just before Christmas” said Alan Wheeler, National Liaison Manager for the Textile Recycling Association. The representatives at this meeting were Oxfam, Salvation Army, I&G Cohen, Ragtex, and Clothes Aid, all of whom have suffered significantly at the hands of criminal gangs who steal clothing put out either for door to door collections or clothing banks and who were already in a position to provide significant intelligence.
DCS Steve Head who also attended yesterday’s meeting said “We are working closely with the Textile Recycling Association, various charities and collection partners and together we are evaluating how we can engage with an even greater number of potential victims and stakeholders. This is a serious issue and we cannot allow the actions of callous criminal gangs to undermine the excellent and very necessary work of our charitable sector. Our aim is to identify those responsible and develop a national strategy for bringing the organisers of this deeply offensive crime to justice.”
Further Information
Contact:
Alan Wheeler
National Liaison Manager – Textile Recycling Association
Tel: 0845 600 8276
E-mail:
