MySkip, The Reuse Site, Unveils UK’s First Ever Nationwide Infrastructure to Support Charities

LONDON - MySkip.com Helps Small Non-Profits Survive Recession by Connecting Charities With the Community via Donors at www.myskip.com

MySkip (www.myskip.com/), the world’s most secure, easy-to-use and free(1) website dedicated to promoting the reuse of unwanted goods, today unveiled a free web-based software application called CCI (Charity to Community Interface) designed specifically to meet the needs of small non- profit organisations struggling to help their beneficiaries in the present economic crisis, whilst addressing serious environmental issues such as landfill and carbon emissions.

MySkip’s new service, available today at 1500 GMT, enables non-profit organisations to easily obtain items such as furniture, electronics and clothing that have been donated by consumers or businesses via the company’s website.

“Charities are facing increasing pressure to fulfil their objectives, often with dwindling resources and limited budget,” said Gary Cope (www.myskip.com/media-centre/corporate_en.php?), CEO of MySkip. “MySkip believes that by giving non-profits access to our community of donors, using the latest technology, we are providing organisations with an alternative, yet guaranteed source of material donations that they actually require. The organisations can then either sell the items to fund their operations or give them away for free to their beneficiaries who are in desperate need of assistance.”

A recent survey conducted by the Charity Commission (www.charity-commission.gov.uk/) reveals that 52 percent of charities in England and Wales have been hit by the credit crunch. The findings also show that 58 per cent of those affected have experienced a decrease in income.

MySkip feels that by fostering closer relationships between charities and donors, using information and communication technology, the public will help organisations to meet their obligations towards the most disadvantaged within the community.

One of the first non-profit organisations to pilot MySkip’s new service for charities is the London Community Recycling Network (www.lcrn.org.uk/ ) (LCRN), which comprises of more than 100 members including charities, social enterprises and other non-profits. “We are delighted that MySkip has developed an innovative software application (CCI) that assists the very organisations we represent whilst promoting reuse,” said Hannah Kowszun, Communications Manager and Membership Coordinator at the London Community Recycling Network. “We encourage the public to pause before throwing away an item because in all likelihood that worn jacket, old bicycle or creaky bed could be reused by someone who is in need of a helping hand.”

How the service works

Charities wishing to use the free software programme (CCI) simply need to register with MySkip in order to start receiving items from the company’s community of reuse-minded donors by selecting the items they want to receive from a menu of 12 categories The installation process takes minutes and only requires the charity’s representative to have an email and/or mobile for alerts.

If a MySkip member wants to give charities first pick at their unwanted item, the member simply needs to select this option when posting the unwanted goods to the website using a personal computer or mobile phone (www.myskip.com/via-mobile_en.php?&plang=en ) (by sending a photo to text code 65005). If no charity selects the item within 24-hours, the item is automatically made available to its members.

“Companies such as MySkip have the technology, best practices and commitment to assist charities through these difficult times,” said Alex Green, CEO at The Vine Project (www.thevineproject.org/), a reuse and training organisation in South London. “MySkip has developed an offering that makes it easier for us to acquire the items that we desperately need such as sofas and beds, within a matter of days, at no cost to us.”

MySkip is working to reduce the amount of waste shipped to landfill

Since last April, thousands of MySkip members have collectively saved more than 117 tonnes of waste (equivalent to the weight of 14 double-decker Routemaster buses) from going to landfill by simply reusing everyday items. 117 tonnes of waste is equal to 539 tonnes of carbon emissions (2) and, according to Defra (www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/waste/strategy/strategy07/pdf/waste07-annexes-all.pdf) , reuse saves nearly five times the amount of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere than recycling one tonne of aggregated waste.(3)

(1) Cost for uploading an item via MMS is 50p excluding standard network charges. Reserving an item using your mobile is GBP1 excluding standard network charges. No charge for text alerts unless an item becomes available. The alert then costs 25p per text excluding standard network charges.

(2) This number was calculated by multiplying 117 tonnes of waste with Defra’s aggregated emission factor (4.6) for recycling one tonne of aggregated waste.

(3) See Defra’s report “Waste Strategy Annual Progress Report 2007/08″ (www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/waste/strategy/strategy07/pdf/waste-strategy-report-07-08.pdf) published on 10 July 2008.

About MySkip.com

MySkip uses innovative technology to effect positive change in the way individuals, non-profits, businesses and governments work together to promote the social, environmental and economical benefits of reuse, including reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill, minimising dangerous carbon emissions and helping those in need obtain material goods. More than 100 celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the world have endorsed MySkip’s cause:The Dalai Lama; Rt. Hon David Cameron MP; Sir David Attenborough; Grammy Award winners Sheryl Crow and Peter Gabriel; Gordon Ramsay; Bafta winner Ricky Gervais; Bloomberg; Bang & Olufsen; President Nicolas Sarkozy; The Chinese Government; Barclaycard; Specsavers; Superdrug; Lloyds TSB; and J Sainsbury’s, etc. For more information, please visit www.myskip.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/myskipcom.

Source: Myskip Holdings PLC

PR Contacts, Lance Mercereau, lance at myskip.com, Mobile: +44(0)7788-183273; May Al-Karooni, may at myskip.com, Mobile: +44(0)7779-292371