A GYM chain has teamed up with a good cause to help fund lifesaving research.

PureGym in Stirling is taking part in a nationwide initiative to help the British Heart Foundation (BHF) through pre-loved items.

Donation boxes have been installed in PureGyms across the UK to encourage people to donate good quality pre-loved items such as clothes, electricals, small household items, accessories and shoes.

Donations will be sent to BHF shops to help generate income while also giving items a new lease of life.

So far, the initiative has diverted 1.98tonnes of items from landfill.

Sophie Overall, partnership manager at BHF, said: “We’re delighted that PureGym is joining our Reuse Revolution by encouraging its members to donate their pre-loved items. 

“We’re not just looking for quality activewear, but any pre-loved clothes or small homeware items that are looking for a new home. 

“In a year, the BHF saves over 56,000tonnes of goods from going to waste through the reuse and recycling of donated items.

With the help of PureGym’s donation boxes, we hope this number will be even bigger in the future.”

The recycling initiative is fuelling the funding for science that could lead to new cures and treatments to help the 700,000 people in Scotland living with heart and circulatory diseases.

Rebecca Passmore, UK managing director at PureGym, added: “We recognise the essential role that exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle plays in maintaining a healthy heart so we want to do all we can to help support the BHF’s groundbreaking research.

“By putting donation boxes in all of our gyms, we hope we can make a difference to the millions of lives impacted by heart and circulatory conditions.

“Our partnership with the BHF is dedicated to championing heart health by raising money for vital research.

“By ‘recycling for research’ in our gyms, we will be raising all important funds to help more people across the nation to be better equipped to prevent, treat and manage their heart conditions.”