OLD electrical items will be given a new lease of life thanks to a collection set up by an environmental group.

A range of TVs, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, lamps and even electric typewriters have been dropped off at Church House in The Oval for the Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon Group which will pass them on for reconditioning before they are sold.

The initiative was started because pedestrians are unable to drop off old electrical items by foot at the city council’s recycling bring banks, including the Redbridge recycling centre in Abingdon Road.

Group member and reverend at St Mary’s Iffley, Sarah Northall, who lives at Church House in The Oval, said: “It all came about when I was visiting with someone on the estate who doesn’t have a car and was telling me a story about how they had a vacuum cleaner which had given up.

“He contacted the council to come and collect it and they said take it to Redbridge. He said he didn’t have a car.”

She added: “He actually carried his vacuum cleaner down to Redbridge. When he got there he wasn’t allowed to take it on site because he was on foot. He had to take it back again.

“It is a practical solution to a real need.”

The low carbon group was formed in June to highlight and campaign on environment issues.

Eleanor Watts, chairwoman of the low carbon group, said: “We have done this as a service to prevent dumping. What we are planning to do is take them on to Bicester Green Sustainability Centre.

“They recondition the items and then sell them in charity shops. Those we cannot recondition will be taken to Redbridge.

“We are trying to do something positive about it. As a group we want to help people recycle. We realise it is difficult to do without cars.”

Ms Watts, of Rose Hill, added: “We have made a decision that once they have been dropped off at Church House we cannot give them away in case they are faulty.”

Ray James, chairman of the Rose Hill Tenants and Residents’ Association, said: “It is a nice example of a community working for itself.”

The first collection took place on Saturday, August 3.

Next month’s collection is on Saturday, September 7, at Church House in The Oval between 9am and noon.