Our staff collect, sort, clinically clean and redistribute thousands of items a month. In June and July more than 5,400 items were put back into use, and more than 90% of the equipment collected re-used.

The photos in The Sun & Daily Mail show the yard when sorting is taking place. The chairs, frames and hoists in our yard are moved indoors for refurbishment at the end of each day.

A fleet of 32 vans collects and delivers equipment and on average each item is turned around in four days. When we refurbishand reuse items, we apply strict clinical safety criteria so there is no risk to users. When we recycle old equipment, all the money earnt is ploughed back into new items, which helps keep the cost to taxpayers down.

Equipment journey in reaching our customer's...

1. We collect the un-used equipment from our customer (within 15 days of requested collection).

2. Equipment is then brought back to the warehouse and checked in.

3. Equipment fit to recycle goes through a de-contamination process.

4. Equipment is sorted at the warehouse within the yard to either scrap or recycle.

5. Equipment unfit for purpose goes into the warehouse's skip.

Entrance to Aqua-phase machine to de-contaminate equipment

Aqua-phase exit after process, ready to be wiped down

De-contaminated equipment wiped down by staff ready to go back into warehouse to distribute again

6. After de-contamination some items require refurbishment to bring them back to 'as new' standard.

7. De-contaminated and refurbished equipment is placed back into the warehouse ready for distribution.

8. A request is made by a customer for equipment to help aid their independence at home.

9. Equipment picked and distributed to the ECL customer's home (either next day or within 5 days as requested by the Occupational Therapist).

10. Finally, equipment is delivered to customer's home.