Cosalt Offshore has donated contents from over 600 first aid kits to various charities over the last 18 months.

Materials contained in Cosalt liferaft first aid kits are often replaced during routine servicing if they are due to expire before the next scheduled service date.

Rather than disposing of these in-date items Cosalt Offshore has been working with an Aberdeenshire church’s eco-congregation to distribute them to a number of charities to help with their work around the globe.

Rod Buchan, CEO at Cosalt Offshore, said: “It’s fantastic to be involved in a project like this. The countries that receive our first aid materials often have very limited access to the most basic supplies such as bandages & plasters.”

Elaine Percival, coordinator of the scheme, added: “As Cosalt Offshore provides liferaft services we are fortunate enough to have these items in plentiful supply. With the help of the church we have been able to see these resources reach those who are in the greatest need of them.”

Materials have been donated to health care centres in Malawi and Burundi, a charity supporting orphanages in India and to the Scottish Episcopal Church for their congregation’s voluntary work in Africa to name just a few.

Sheila Gray from Aberdeenshire church’s eco-congregation said: “This is such a brilliant project and a great example of industry and community working together to do their part for the stewardship of the planet.”

Margaret Warnock, coordinator for Eco-Congregation Scotland, added: “By working with Cosalt Offshore on this project the Aberdeenshire eco-congregation has demonstrated an innovative approach to making the best use of the resources available to them. I am sure that the ideas behind this scheme will inspire other eco-congregations across Scotland.”

One of the organisations to benefit from this scheme is Inter Care, a charity which collects surplus patient returned medicines from GP practices and sends them to a network of 116 health centres in countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

Diane Hardy, General Manager at Inter Care, said: “If it wasn’t for generous donors such as Cosalt Offshore and the Eco-Congregation Scotland, Inter Care would not exist. We rely heavily on the generosity of our supporters to donate their surplus medicines and dressings etc.

“This allows us to spend more of the money we raise on shipping supplies to sub-Saharan Africa rather than having to purchase new ones. Since 1974 we have sent over £9 million worth of aid which would have otherwise been thrown away.”

Donated materials have included bandages, sticking plaster, resuscitation masks, nurses’ scissors, plastic gloves and burn bags.

Contents from the kits have also benefited local organisations such as Archway, an Aberdeen based respite care provider.

Tags: Cosalt Offshore