THE Eco Group at St John's Parish Church in Menston has issued plea for Christmas jumpers to be donated.

The group will have a Christmas jumper swap stall at the Light Up Menston - Christmas Lights Event at Kirklands in Menston on Saturday, December 7th.

Marilyn Banister from the Eco group said: “Our Christmas jumper swap aims to encourage people to donate Christmas jumpers which are either too big, too small or just too last season and give them a new life! We quality check all the donated jumpers before making them freely available at our jumper swap stall! Choosing pre-loved clothing is one way to reduce the effect fashion has on the environment.

"Christmas jumpers are bought and worn for a limited period of time. Families with young children in particular find a jumper worn for a matter of a few weeks one year is too small to wear the next. We ran a stall last year which was well received but we want to make it a bigger event this year.”

The event is being supported by Pledge 2 Recycle Plastics, who said: “This year, our efforts to support local pre-loved clothing events have highlighted the multifaceted benefits of such initiatives. While the environmental impact is significant - helping to protect habitats and reduce the effects of climate change by encouraging different shopping habits - the social benefits have been equally remarkable.

"These events have become a hub for community engagement, where people come together to donate quality clothing, fostering a spirit of generosity and sustainability. Moreover, they provide a valuable opportunity for people to connect face-to-face, an aspect often missing in the age of online retail, reinforcing the social fabric of the community. This blend of ecological awareness and social interaction makes pre-loved clothing events a powerful tool for positive change."

Donation boxes will be available from November 23rd to 30th in the Library at Kirklands, Cornerstone Cafe, St John’s Parish Church, Menston Primary School and at the Pre-school. Jumpers need to be clean and reusable by someone else.

The Light Up Menston event at Kirklands on December 7th, with stalls inside between 1pm and 3pm, also includes a visit by Santa, fairground rides, entertainment , food and drink as well as the chance to find your “new to you” Christmas jumper.