A campaign encouraging people in Dundee to donate their unwanted furniture to those in need is being launched today.

Furniture re-use projects Starter Packs and Transform are joining together to urge local people to donate good-quality items which could be re-used.

The scheme has been organised by Waste Aware Scotland and the Community Recycling Network for Scotland, which repre- sents more than 50 furniture re-use projects across Scotland.

It is being piloted in Dundee, Glasgow and the Highlands before it is introduced nationally over the next year.

The Dundee charities help vulnerable people and families by providing equipment to help them make a start in their new homes.

Waste Aware Scotland claims that good-quality items are ending up in landfill sites when they could still be put to good use.

New figures released by the network also show that 43% of furniture re-use charities have seen a reduction in donations over the last 12 months while demand for their services is expected to increase.

Dundee City Council’s environmental services convener Councillor Jimmy Black also encouraged people to think twice before binning their household goods.

He said: “When homeless people move into a new tenancy, they often have no furniture, or very little.