Wrap Up is a project run by various Rotary Clubs working in partnership with Hands On London. It’s sole aim is to provide coats and other warm clothing, that go directly to people across the UK, who struggle to keep warm during the winter months. Middlesbrough Erimus will collect again this year between October 18th and November 2nd. Watch our for Social Media telling you your nearest collection point.
October 2024 saw Middlesbrough Erimus Rotary embark upon our 4th annual collection of coats and items of warm clothing as part of the National Wrap Up campaign (wrapupuk.org). We were also pleased that Stokesley and Teesside West Rotary clubs agreed to join us again this year. In preparation for the 2 week collection the 3 clubs combined to provide 53 collection points across South Middlesbrough, Yarm, Stockton and many of the villages to the south of the conurbation. As in previous years The Salvation Army generously provided space at the Central Citadel in Middlesbrough for the donations to be checked, sorted and bagged for distribution
With donations arriving daily the sorting team were met with what seemed to be an ever expanding pile in the arrivals area. No sooner did we sort bags but more arrived, which was wonderful.
As would be expected the team rose to the challenge and reconvened as needed. Once the bags were opened all items were checked for their suitability and sorted into Ladies, Men’s, Youths and Children’s and then the type of article, be that a coat, gilet, fleece, hat etc etc. These were then counted and bagged ready to be passed onto the recipient charities
The sorting and bagging system in operation
By the end of the first week we were able to make our first donations and not before time as the weather had started to deteriorate. Meanwhile the donations kept arriving and the sorting team continued to clear the pile. Items which were considered unsuitable due to their condition were passed to Homestart Teesside who processed them as rags and gained a few pounds to support their work. This allows to proudly claim that nothing goes to waste, even the plastic bags / sacs etc were recycled
At the end of the collection window it was clear that the generosity of Teessider remained, with a total of 2725 items of warm clothing had been collected which included 1820 coats.
Deliveries of warm clothing continues apace to local charities working with the homeless, the refugee communities and those in need across the South Teesside area. The main recipient organisations were: Middlesbrough Salvation Army, Nitelight; Doorways Café, Genesis project, Methodist Asylum Project, Catalyst in Stockton, Together Middlesbrough, Lynx Redcar, Hartlepool Harbour Refuge, Sprouts and Stockton Borough Council Social Services and 12 Primary schools across east and central Middlesbrough