A BORDERS furniture and reuse charity is hoping to save around more than 3,000 electrical items from going to waste.

Home Basics, which has a site in Walkerburn and Hawick, is expanding its collections of pre-owned household electricals to help reduce the number which end up in the bin.

The charity already offers an electricals collection scheme.

But, thanks to funding from Material Focus – a not-for-profit which aims to stop the waste of small electrical goods – Home Basics hopes to help a further 1,500 homes and businesses get rid of their unwanted electrical items in a way that helps the planet.

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The charity is also partnering with Scottish Borders Council to ensure that items which can't be reused are fully recycled.

Home Basics business manager Dennis Fisher said: “In partnership with Scottish Borders Council, we are keen to support the Recycle Your Electricals campaign and make it easier for local residents to declutter their electricals."

Mr Fisher added: "By donating to their local household reuse charity local people can do their bit to minimise waste and prevent carbon emissions whilst making quality items available to others at a low cost."

As part of the Recycle Your Electricals campaign – launched by Material Focus last year – Home Basics will collect kitchen appliances, household appliances, cookers, fridges, freezers, televisions daily from Monday to Friday. Computers and laptops which are donated will be passed on to local organisations working with Home Basics in support of the campaign.

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Items donated to the charity will either be sold on at a reduced price, or the parts can be repurposed to help protect the environment.

Through the campaign, Home Basics have two product safety testers at their Hawick site and also have a team of volunteers across both shops.

Mr Fisher said: "The Home Basics reuse model has already successfully prevented electrical items and many household items going to waste for over 20 years across the Scottish Borders.

"The funding received from Material Focus helps build capacity to expand our reach in local communities to prevent more electrical waste and raise awareness.

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"Inspiring a reuse society among all ages across the Scottish Borders whilst still meeting the needs of our beneficiaries is a primary objective of Home Basics.

"We are grateful to our donors and customers for working together to combat issues of climate change and waste.

"Together we can challenge behaviours in local communities to choose to reuse quality items available prior to sourcing new.

"We encourage everyone with non useable electrical items in their home to come forward and support this campaign."

The charity can accept items which are working and no more than 10 years old.

To arrange a collection of electrical goods, contact Home Basics via their website, at: www.homebasics.org.uk/ or, alternatively, smaller electricals can be dropped off at either store between 10am and 3.45pm, Monday to Friday.