Features / Interviews
Going out on a limb in Bedminster
A new shop has opened in Bedminster raising money for a charity that collects unwanted prosthetic limbs and components from across the UK and sends them to Africa.
Limbo on Bedminster Road supports Legs 4 Africa and also sends over zimmer frames and crutches to the continent.
The shop and charity is holding a fun day from 11am on Saturday, August 27 to raise awareness of their work.
is needed now More than ever
Legs 4 Africa founder Tom Williams on his first trip to Africa
Megan Clarke and Tom showing off the new shop
Within the UK there is a strict one use policy on certain items in hospitals and prostheses fall under this policy. This means that there are hundreds of these items being thrown away after they’re deemed unusable, which is not only costly for the prosthetist companies but is also bad for the environment in terms of disposal.
Legs 4 Africa has been a registered charity for around two years and within this time they have been working hard collecting prostheses and finding ways to transport them over to hospitals in Africa where they can be readapted to fit the amputees.
Limbo is their first charity shop and has been open for three weeks.
The team are delighted with the response so far from the community and locals seem just as pleased to have a charity shop in the area.
Charity ambassador Megan Clarke said: “So many people have come in and said ‘we really needed a charity shop around here’ and i’ts really improved things for people.”
Over the past few years the charity have shipped around 4,000 prosthetic legs to Africa and they hope to increase this over the next few years by getting more institutes involved.
They would also like to focus on methods of prevention and on improving the after care that is given to amputees after a prosthetic has been fitted.
At the fun day on Saturday, activities include tie dying, live music and lots of charity shop bargains.
Limbo is at 82-84 Bedminster Road, BS3 5NP. For more information, visit www.legs4africa.org
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