Published: Wednesday, 30th December, 2009 3:16pm

£1m gift for homeless

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A £1 MILLION Christmas present has been given to homeless and vulnerable people in Renfrewshire this festive season.

A stream of fake goods that was intended to line the pockets of organised criminals will instead help those who need it most.

The rebranded goods - with a street value of over a million pounds - were seized in a series of highly successful anti-counterfeiting operations by Renfrewshire Council's Trading Standards Team.

They include counterfeit Nike and Adidas trainers, Prada handbags and Lacoste, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss clothes.

Fake goods are normally destroyed to stop trade mark laws being broken.

But a new partnership with the His Church Charity will see the counterfeits rebranded and distributed to the people who need them most, either in this country or overseas.

The partnership will also see food parcels and clothing worth £27,000 being distributed to 25 homeless projects across Renfrew, Paisley and Glasgow.

Councillor Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council's Environment and Infrastructure Policy Board, said: "In the past we would have had to destroy these counterfeit goods but the His Church Charity replaces the trade marks and rebrands the items.

"That means the clothes, shoes and accessories we have seized can be put to good use. We can recycle them and help the homeless and vulnerable at the same time.

"While it is excellent news that some good is going to come from these products, we have to remind people that counterfeiting is not the victimless crime that some of them may think.

"The proceeds from fake goods often go to organised criminals involved in trafficking drugs, weapons and human beings."

Richard Humphrey, senior coordinator, His Church Charity, said: "For this scale of counterfeit clothing to be taken from criminals, re-branded and given to the most vulnerable people in the community is credit to a council excelling in both anti-counterfeiting enforcement and social responsibility.

"We are delighted to partner with Renfrewshire Council in turning counterfeit goods into real help for those in need."

As well as recycling counterfeit clothes, His Church Charity also redistributes surplus food donated directly by manufacturers.

The charity recently took delivery of 80,000 tins of chicken tikka massala which was going to be sent to landfill because of a spelling mistake on the label. The food is now being used to feed hungry people in homeless shelters and women's refuges.