Kettering community litter pick volunteers collect 68 bags of aluminium cans in one month for helipads

Donna Burdon – aka Tinker Williams – founder of Kettering and Corby Wombles litter picking groups, has been totting up the number of bags filled with discarded drink cans.

Helped by volunteers from across the town, the January haul from hedges, streets, parks and playgrounds has been transferred to John Nowell, founder of the Helipads For Hospitals charity.

Named in honour of the fastidious furry residents of Wimbledon Common, Kettering Wombles’ community pickers over the past month have collected 68 sacks of valuable cans, as well as 1,105 bags of rubbish.

Tinker said: “We’re saving all of the cans from landfill, helping wildlife and getting the litter off our streets and out of the hedgerows.

"At the same time we’re helping another charity which can only be a good thing."

Tinker’s home in Lyveden Place has become a drop-off point for the crushed cans which are then handed over to former pilot John.

He was inspired to found Helipads For Hospitals after meeting one of his former helicopter pilot pupils who told him there were not enough helipads in the area.

The charity now collects drinks cans from across several counties to be smelted down back into raw aluminium.

He said: “It’s an impressive amount but also shocking that so many people just chuck them away.”

Speaking of the progress towards his target, he added: “We are a third of the way there, but it’s hard to keep up with demand.”

Ben Williams from the Kettering Greens organised the Save Can Jan appeal to boost the number for John’s project.

He said: “It’s been a big group effort. After Christmas, we did a festive collection. Instead of putting them in the recycling bin we collected them for Helipads For Hospitals. We collected 25 bags full over the three weeks – if you are a family who likes fizzy drinks they can add up.”

Regular Womble litter picks take place across Kettering every week find out more at Kettering Wombles’ Facebook site.

Drop your flattened aluminium cans for Helipads For Hospitals appeal at 11, Lyveden Place

For more information go to https://helpappeal.org.uk/.