Removal firms are joining forces with the charity Oxfam to generate funds from unwanted goods unearthed during house moves, writes Maggie Hartford.

Michael Taylor, commercial manager for Oxfam in Oxford, believes the scheme could easily raise 100,000 for the charity each year.

Anyone moving house can ask their removal firm for a supply of OxBoxx stickers as long as the company belongs to the British Association of Removers, which has more than 700 members in the UK.

Unwanted items can be boxed separately and taken to the removal firm's warehouse on moving day.

Oxfam will collect the goods and distribute them to high street shops for sale.

BAR general secretary Robert Syers said removal companies gain because they have an extra service to offer to their customers.

He said: "Every householder has things that they no longer need but are too good to throw out. The new OxBoxx scheme solves the problem for them and gives Oxfam much-needed funds."

Mr Taylor said: "If only a small fraction of BAR's 700 members take part in the scheme it will make a real difference to Oxfam. If the BAR members take the project to their hearts, the result could be very exciting indeed."

The Oxboxx scheme itself is not new as it has been available for some years. But it never caught on because the removal companies had to hold stocks of Oxfam packing materials and deliver the goods themselves to their nearest Oxfam shop.

The two organisations believe the new scheme will be easier to operate.