Counterfeit boost for charities

8:27am Monday 10th December 2007

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THOUSANDS of counterfeit goods seized by Worcestershire County Council's Trading Standards have been handed to charity in a style reminiscent of Robin Hood.

Each year Trading Standards officers seize huge volumes of goods which, when defendants are prosecuted, are normally destroyed or put into landfill sites. But now they will either be recycled or distributed amongst the needy in the UK and abroad by Christian charity His Church.

Amongst the items to be given are clothes, trainers and counterfeit CDs and DVDs. In total over 10,000 discs and 1000 items of clothing have been donated.

Those bits not distributed are ground down and recycled into other products such as pencils or work folders. Items of counterfeit clothing have their labels removed, or are shredded and used to make appliques.

Councillor Derek Prodger, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "Our involvement with the His Church charity is marvellous. As well as helping those not as fortunate as ourselves it also offers a great environmental solution to dispose of any counterfeit goods we seize, and reduces waste going to landfill.

"It is pleasing to think that instead of lining the pockets of criminals these goods are helping people who need it and we will continue to support this good cause."