THE personal service offered by a company able to recycle printer ink cartridges enabled it to work closely with a hospice.
The League of Friends of the John Taylor Hospice initially began their recycling scheme with a national organisation, but quickly formed a partnership with Smart Cartridge, of Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, who offered the personal touch.
Ray Woods, the Marketing and Fundraising Officer for the League of Friends, said, “Graham Jones and Stewart Ellis of Smart Cartridge have been great to work with. They undertake all our collections of empty cartridges from Companies and other organisations, free of charge and still pay us a contribution for every cartridge that they collect. If they refill the cartridge for that customer, they double the contribution that they give us.
The company has also allowed the shop to be used as a collection point for unwanted mobile phones – another great source of revenue for the hospice.
Graham of Smart Cartridge said: “Being a local company, we wanted to support a local charity, like the League of Friends because they don’t have the big marketing budgets of the national charities - and we have found helping the hospice to be very rewarding.”
Lloyds TSB Bank in Erdington has been another firm supporter of the recycling scheme. Smart Cartridge collects the cartridges from the bank and then makes a donation to the charity.
Branch Manager Brian Upton said: “We thought that this was a really great idea and we were also particularly keen to support a local charity. It is also good to think that we are helping the environment through this scheme.”
The Hospice takes referrals from Sutton Coldfield and the whole of Central, North and Eastern Birmingham and adjoining areas - and is based in Grange Road, Erdington. It is one of the Lord Mayor of Birmingham’s Charities of the Year for 2006/2007.
The League of Friends of the Hospice can be contacted on 0121 373 2440 or via their website ww.johntaylorhospicelof.org.uk.
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