GREAT Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is calling for people to hand in old, unused or damaged walking aids which can be repaired and handed out to new patients.

Last year, the trust spent around £35,000 on new crutches and walking sticks for patients and is asking the public to help save money by handing in their unwanted items by launching the ‘For crutch sake!’ appeal.

The cost of repair is significantly lower than buying a whole new item, and the Trust is encouraging people to dig out the walking devices they no longer use.

A single pair of elbow crutches, which are often given to patients with leg injuries, costs the Trust £11.05 to buy whereas the cost of replacing the ferrule, the small gripping piece of plastic at the bottom of each crutch, is just 41p.

To purchase 10 pairs of new crutches would cost the Trust £110.50 but if 10 pairs of used crutches were returned, the ferrules could be replaced for £8.20, a saving of more than £100.

Karen Hawkins, superintendent physiotherapist, said: “Crutches, along with other walking aids, are an essential, but often expensive, resource within the NHS.

“The more people who forget to return their crutches, frames and sticks, the more new products we have to buy. This is why we’re sending this appeal.

“No matter what condition your unused and unwanted walking aids are in, we will be able to give them a thorough safety check and assess whether they can be reused or repaired.

“This is just one example of one team using its initiative to bring down costs but I know there are other teams in our Trust who are doing the same sort of thing in their own area. It’s inspiring to see so many people working together to make a change.”

Nearly 700 pairs of elbow crutches were supplied to patients between January 2014 and January 2015.

Anyone with an old, damaged or unused walking aid is urged to return it to the Physiotherapy Outpatients department, which is based on the ground floor at the Great Western Hospital.

People can stay up-to-date with the amnesty’s progress by following the Trust on Twitter (@GWH_NHS) and by using #ForCrutchSake in their tweets.