Bio Laboratories’ great giveaway to four great organisations: 830 items saved from landfill!
Bio Laboratories is based in Altrincham, Cheshire, and supplies branded promotional cosmetics, wellness and healthcare products to industries including film & TV and hospitality. Many of the firm’s lines are sourced and made here in the UK.
The product range includes handy cans, sanitisers, gift sets, cleaning products and cosmetics. As a paying supporter of A Good Thing, Bio Labs has already made a number of excellent donations to charities in the area. Most recently, a large quantity of beauty products became available, and Sue Mannion of the firm had this to say about the benefits of using A Good Thing to donate them:
“The items were surplus stock, and we were keen to find a good home for them and divert them from landfill. All items were popular, which wasn’t a huge surprise. The only difficulty was deciding which charities to support.”
Sue told us she now has a process for this, which we loved hearing about: “By keeping a log of all the charities who receive our donations, we endeavour to support a range of different organisations.”
Like many business users, Sue really appreciates the opportunity to say hello to the charity that’s receiving her firm’s donations: “It’s always extra-special when the charity can collect, as we then meet the amazing people behind the charity - although of course we don’t restrict our donations to those that can collect.”
Overall, Sue is a big fan:
“The process through A Good Thing is so easy and has been smooth every time; you are a fantastic organisation and an asset to the companies who donate and the charities that benefit.”
One organisation keen to collect and make use of the 210 nail polishes and 55 rose-gold compact mirrors on offer was the Radio Wishing Well charity, based at Trafford General Hospital.
Amanda Jordan, Station Manager, told us:
“It was really easy to use the system, as you receive an email with the latest offer and if you are interested you click to register your interest. We were thrilled to receive confirmation that we had been selected, and arranged collection directly with the donor who was very local to us, that very same week.”
Amanda had lots of ideas as to how to make use of these wonderful donations.
“The items are lovely, and we will be able to use them as gifts and giveaways for patients in hospital to cheer them up. As well as broadcasting hospital radio within the hospital and local community, we visit patients on the ward and have a number of events throughout the year (Mothers’ Day, Easter, Christmas, etc) where we will give a small gift to the patients: we rely solely on donations to achieve this. Who doesn’t love an unexpected gift, especially when you are feeling under the weather?”
Other organisations to benefit from Bio Laboratories generous donation were the Salford Foodbank, which collected 120 bodywashes and shower gels to be given out in their food parcels to those experiencing hardship in the community.
Trafford Carers Centre, which provides much-needed support and advocacy to unpaid carers, collected 20 Shave Doctor giftsets from Bio Labs.
And Stepping Stone Projects, based in Greater Manchester, offers short-term stable accommodation and support to people who are facing homelessness. The charity collected 425 mini toothpastes to provide to vulnerable people accessing its services.
In all, a total of 830 items were saved from landfill! Each item making a small, incremental difference to the wellbeing of those facing adversity – whether through ill health, poverty or lack of stable accommodation. Each organisation provides essential community services, often with limited resources, and was able to offer at no cost those simple little extras that can help people feel that they matter.
What surplus stock items may be awaiting a new home in your office or warehouse? How might they be used within the wider community?
Register today and start donating! Who knows where your items may be needed?