I HOPE readers in the Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa areas will support an environmentally friendly fundraising scheme for the New Year, as Guide Dogs encourages people to recycle their old mobile phones.

With 50 million phones discarded in the UK - many after Santa delivers upgraded 'dog 'n' bones', The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is encouraging everyone to support its fundraising scheme, helping the environment by:

l Reducing overburdened landfill sites by millions of cubic feet of non-biodegradable material, which can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

l Avoiding the need to burn our rubbish, which can release harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

For every mobile phone recycled, Guide Dogs gets £3.50 to help support its vital work of bringing independence and freedom to visually impaired people. Each phone can be simply put into a Freepost envelope and posted, remembering to remove the phone's Sim card first.

A lot of individuals and businesses have got old mobile phones lurking in their desks, so why not donate them to help the work of Guide Dogs, giving us the perfect present for 2005?

There are two very good reasons for recycling your mobile - by doing so you are raising sufficient money to feed a guide dog for five days, whilst sparing the environment the harmful effects of adding your phone to the growing number in landfill sites.

For a Freepost envelope to donate your phone, please phone 0118 983 8298 or email:mphone@guidedogs.org.uk or log-on to www.recycle4guidedogs.org.uk

Thank you for your support and happy New Year to all Advertiser/Messenger readers.

Peter Friend

Guide Dogs