DID you get any electrical goods at Christmas this year and don't know what to do with them?A new social enterprise, Electrical Appliance Re-use in Anglia (EARA) will take anything electrical, such as games consoles, toasters, food mixers, computers, fridges, and use them to help the long term unemployed back into work.

DID you get any electrical goods at Christmas this year and don't know what to do with them?

A new social enterprise, Electrical Appliance Re-use in Anglia (EARA) will take anything electrical, such as games consoles, toasters, food mixers, computers, fridges, and use them to help the long term unemployed back into work.

The 'green elves' will take over Santa's grotto in the Buttermarket shopping centre from January 13 to 15 and anyone is welcome to bring along their unwanted goods to be recycled.

The company, based in Willisham, near Barham, will also collect bulky items from homes for a small fee with no limit on the size or number of items. All people have to do is to make sure they're unplugged and disconnected from water or power supplies.

EARA will repair unwanted items and pass them on to low income groups and charity shops together with proper safety certificates. Anything that can't be repaired will be stripped down for parts or recycled.

EARA managing director Nathan Gregory said: “You name it, we'll take it and fix it if we can.”

The work will be done by long-term unemployed people, who will get training in life and work skills leading to a qualification. They will also get help in CV writing and understanding how to fit back into a work environment.

Mr Gregory, 32, set up the not-for-profit organisation with help from Suffolk County Council and UnLtd.

The former IT support contractor, already has a successful company, Waste Electronic Recycling Management, which was set up in 2005 with help from the Prince's Trust to recycle IT equipment from businesses and other organisations throughout the UK.

Did you get any interesting presents this year? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.