By Mike McKenzie

Published at 11:49, Thursday, 29 November 2012

WOMEN in Copeland are being encouraged to give their old bras a new lease of life by depositing them in ‘Bra Banks’ at their local hospital.

Checking it out: Nurse Ann Cartmell, right, and health care assistant Ann Dockerty have a look in the hospital’s bra bank

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust is supporting a bra recycling scheme in order to raise money for breast cancer research. The nearest Bra Bank for women in Copeland can be found in the West Cumberland Hospital and are provided by the breast cancer charity, Against Breast Cancer.

Wearable bras donated to the Bra Bank will be taken to Africa where there is a short supply of affordable bras.

Against Breast Cancer will also receive a donation based on the weight of the bras collected – so every bra counts. Every £1 raised is vital in enabling the continuation of work by the charity to find a vaccine against breast cancer and to look at ways to increase the survival rate of women who have the disease.

Breast-screening specialist nurse Ann Cartmell said: “Ladies often wonder what to do with bras that are no longer suitable or don’t fit them anymore so this is a fantastic way to get rid of your old bras whilst donating to a charity as well as keeping textiles out of landfill and helping ladies in Africa.”

Members of the public are welcome to drop their unwanted bras into the Bra Bank, which is situated in the waiting area of the breast screening unit at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk