‘ONE man’s trash is another man’s treasure’, goes the old adage. Well now the spirit of giving has come to Knutsford thanks to Claire Sawyer, who wanted to teach her daughters, Jasmine, eight, and Emma, 10, the values of looking after the environment.

Claire, of Woodlands Drive, has set up the Knutsford branch of Freecycle, an international group determined to find good homes for things which would otherwise just go to landfill.

The 45-year-old said: “This sets a great example for my daughters and shows them that we can all do our bit to help the planet.”

Claire, an IT manager at Barclays, at Radbroke Hall, first got involved with Freecycle when she was living in America.

She then set up a branch in Oxsted, Surrey, when she moved back in the UK in 2005 before moving to Knutsford, in 2007.

At first she joined the Wilmslow group but formed her own branch when she decided potential recipients were too far away.

Knutsford Freecycle now has more than 250 members and hopes to reach 1,000.

Claire added: "I always give any items away to the people who live closest so its makes sense to have a local group.

“I started the Knutsford group to get more local people involved. I think Knutsford people will welcome this.”

Weird and wonderful things Claire has received through her Freecycle membership have included a garden pond, pond plants and fish, bunk beds, a fish tank, a salad spinner, cuddly toys, curtains and a cat carrier.

The items Claire has given away have been just as eclectic.

She said: “I've ‘freecycled’ beds, a fridge, a pair of crutches we found by the side of the road, a Brownie uniform and books.

“You won't believe some of the items are really being given a way for free."”

I've seen entire beautiful dining room sets, refrigerators, TVs, printers, concrete, vacuum cleaners, Christmas trees, cars, PCs and all manner of other small and large items up for grabs."”

An asset during the credit crunch, these items have outlived their usefulness for their owners and are offered for free to anyone else who might want them.

For more information, visit groups.yahoo.com/group/knutsford_freecycle.