Volunteers and staff at Airedale Hospital have joined forces to declare a second equipment amnesty in a bid to rescue lost wheelchairs, walking frames and other walking aids.

The hospital held a similar amnesty nearly two years ago and hundreds of pairs of crutches, walking sticks and walking aids worth about £3,000 – plus several wheelchairs – were returned during the month-long initiative.

The amnesty is being supported again by the Friends of Airedale, one of the hospital’s charities, and therapy staff. They would like people to return any equipment they may still have but do not use with ‘no questions asked’.

Kelvin Whiting, therapy manager at Airedale NHS Found-ation Trust, said: “When wheelchairs or walking aids are no longer needed, people sometimes forget to return them, or if something’s broken, they worry about returning it.

“But we can often repair them or take serviceable parts to maintain others.

“We are appealing to people to bring back any crutches, walking sticks and wheelchairs they no longer use, which will boost our stocks and help ensure we have enough walking and mobility aids for future patients.”

Friends of Airedale chairman, Eileen Proud, said: “Each wheelchair costs about £400, so even if just a few are returned, it all adds up. It also means we don’t have to spend our resources replacing items that could be gathering dust in people’s homes.”

The charity has set up two areas at Airedale Hospital where people can drop off wheelchairs and other walking aids – just inside the main entrance and in the outpatients department.

For people who do not have transport, call the charity’s patient transport service on 01535 294626 between 9.30am and noon, Monday to Friday and arrange for it to be collected.

The amnesty began this week, and will run until the end of the month.