THE Salvation Army shop in Maldon wants shoppers to donate their unwanted clothes, unsightly shoes and unfashionable accessories.
The store, based on the High street, is taking part in the national Open Your Hearts and Wardrobes campaign which started on Monday with an appeal to local people to clear out their wardrobes and bring their unwanted clothes to the shop.
Store manager for the last three years, Kevin Jennings, 34, told the Chronicle: "It's a fantastic idea.
"We all have clothes in the back of our wardrobe we never wear and by donating them you are helping all of the good work that the Salvation Army do with child trafficking, the homeless and other good causes.
"One T-shirt can provide a family with water for a month, one handbag could help one victim of child trafficking with essential toiletries for a month and one pair of trousers could provide a hot meal for a starving family for a month."
The Salvation army estimate that an average UK household owns around £4,000 worth of clothes, but about 30 per cent has not been worn in the last year.
They also estimate that 31 per cent of used clothing, up to 350,000, tonnes goes to landfill in the UK every year.
"This shop has got some incredible customers that are very loyal so I'd appeal to them to have a clear out and give us your unwanted clothes," said Mr Jennings, who lives in Maldon with his partner.
"Even the clothes that we can't sell to people in store will get used as they are sent to Eastern Europe where they are donated to people for free."
The Salvation Army is also running another campaign called the Rebag and Refill scheme.
Each 'Rebag' costs 99p with a £2 goodwill gesture given to each customer that buys one and refill bins are free with regular free collections made to your home or place of work when they are full.
"We have a lot of really worthy campaigns," added Mr Jennings. "The refill bags are a great way of speaking to your local community and getting their clothes – once they are filled they get picked up for free.
"This shop isn't just a place where people hand in their unwanted goods we can do much from these places – by simply handing in your clothes you can benefit so many people."
