A leisure centre has joined a campaign to aiming to keep a million pairs of trainers out of landfill.
Vale Farm Sports Centre, in Wembley, run by Everyone Active in partnership with Brent Council, is taking part in Jog On and hosting a collection bin where members of the local community can drop off unwanted running shoes.
The shoes are sent around the world to people who need them, with the help of charities and non-governmental organisations.
Jog On estimates that every year in the UK more than 30 million pairs of shoes end up in landfill, while elsewhere in the world around three million people suffer from sole diseases.
Chris Williams, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “We are delighted to partner with JogOn for this hugely positive initiative, which means the local community can make a real difference.
“We would encourage people of all ages to donate their unwanted running shoes so that they can experience a second life, rather than simply going to landfill.
“It’s just a matter of dropping the shoes into collection bins at our centres and Everyone Active and JogOn will do the rest.”
Tony Piedade, Jog On’s CEO, said: “This partnership with Everyone Active will prove a huge boost in our efforts to keep 1million pairs of running shoes from going to landfill.
“We know from trials that leisure centre users are very engaged in this type of initiative and we fully expect to see 60-70 pairs collected per centre, each month.
“With a push, this partnership alone could keep 100,000 pairs a year out of landfill.”
Visit www.jogonagain.com