FIRST Responders have struck lucky with their recycling scheme.

The public are invited to donate unwanted goods to the Knutsford Community First Responder Trust for it to recycle to make money for the organisation.

A bag of coins which was donated to the trust unearthed two which could be worth up to £800 each.

“One of my members, Terry Griffiths, has been gathering items for recycling to make money for the trust,” said trust chairman Sal Thompson.

“While standing in Booths supermarket in Knutsford at Christmas she got into a conversation with a Knutsford resident about the recycling scheme.

“This person contacted Terry, and offered to donate some items for recycling, along with a bag of coins, some of which might be worth something.

“On inspection several of the coins looked to be valuable. Terry has since had a valuation, and two of the coins have been valued at a book price of £800 each.

“We have gone back to the donor to advise them of this, and they still wish to donate them to the trust.

“We are in the process of selling these through a dealer - what a fantastic outcome and how generous of this person.”

Terry said: I first saw the project 'recycling for good causes' last summer when another group I belonged to began using them.

"I thought - if they can raise money, why not First Responders?, so I registered KCFRT with the project.

"Once I had set up the account with recyclingforgoodcauses and I had their collection bag and the flyers, I set up a dedicated email address and started drawing the attention of the KCFRT members to the fact I was collecting, asking them to donate items and to spread the word.

"The flyer was then shared on our FaceBook page. I had printed out some flyers to use when we were fundraising in Booths, I also got talking to people when we were carol singing in December, again in Booths.

"People are always amazed that we receive no funding from the NHS, the ambulance service or the council, and so are usually willing to drop some cash into our collecting buckets.

"When I then ask if they have any old laptops, cameras, phones etc. they usually promise to look and then get back to me.

"I had enough donated items to fill the first bag by February.  It has now been sent off and we wait to see what the proceeds are.

"The second bag has now been started and, funnily enough, on the day the first bag was collected, a resident I had spoken to in Booths got in touch and offered several items - including the coins.

"I recognised that they were something special and so asked permission to explore other ways of realising their value.  The resident agreed and so I contacted a coin dealer.

"It will be a few weeks before we know the value of the first bag of items and a similar time before the coins are advertised and sold, but our hope is to raise a decent sum for the Trust."

People are invited to donate their unwanted goods for the benefit of the trust.

The trust can recycle jewellery, coins and currency, mobile phones, cameras and gadgets and stamps.

If you have anything to recycle on behalf of the trust please email recycle@knutsfordfirstresponders.org.uk to arrange collection/delivery.