This September – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – people in Nottinghamshire are being called on to clear out their wardrobes to help more children and young people survive cancer.

They are being urged to donate pre-loved quality fashion and homeware to TK Maxx’s Give Up Clothes for Good campaign, in support of Cancer Research UK for Children and Young People.

When sold in Cancer Research UK shops, each bag of items donated could raise up to £25 to help fund research into children’s and young people’s cancers.

With around 120 children diagnosed with cancer every year in the East Midlands, this vital work is as important as ever.

Nicki Embleton, Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People spokesperson in Nottinghamshire, said: “Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults – from the types of cancer to the impact of treatment and the long-term side effects survivors often experience. So, it needs more research which campaigns like Give Up Clothes for Good help to fund.

“We want to help ensure more people under the age of 25 in Nottinghamshire, and across the UK, survive cancer with a good quality of life. That’s why we hope as many people as possible will show their support and donate any quality clothes or goods to their local TK Maxx store, including Nottingham, Mansfield and Newark.

More children are surviving cancer than ever before, thanks in large part to the work of Cancer Research UK. Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham is one of the many centres across the UK taking part in ground-breaking clinical trials coordinated by Cancer Research UK’s Children’s Cancer Trials Team. These trials make innovative new treatments available to children with cancer in Nottingham and across the region.

One of the trials is finding out what the best possible treatment options are for children and young adults with a type of brain tumour called ependymoma. Another trial is searching for the best treatment for young people and adults whose germ cell tumours have come back, or who treatment has stopped working for. In the TIGER study, the team will compare standard chemotherapy (the chemotherapy that’s usually given) with a higher dose to identify which is best for patients.

TK Maxx is the biggest corporate supporter of Cancer Research UK’s research into children’s and young people’s cancers. Since 2004, the retailer has raised over £37m to help improve survival and reduce long-term side effects for youngsters. This includes supporting the Cancer Research UK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, which aims to improve how drugs are developed for children with brain tumours.

Speaking on behalf of TK Maxx, Jo Murphy, vice-president of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability at TJX Europe, said: “We are incredibly grateful to our customers in Nottinghamshire for helping us to transform the items they no longer need into funds for life-saving research. Not only are they helping more children and young people survive cancer, they’re also reducing their environmental impact by giving their pre-loved items another lease of life.”

Give Up Clothes for Good is one of the UK’s longest running clothes collections. People can donate at any TK Maxx store, all year round.

Supporters can also help by wearing a gold ribbon badge – the awareness symbol of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – available from Cancer Research UK shops and selected TK Maxx stores during September.

Find out more or donate online at cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople.