Kettering's mayor hopes to coin it in for charity with currency fundraiser

Everybody comes back from a holiday abroad with a few foreign coins that they're not sure they'll ever use.

The odd Euro here, a dollar there, they're often left tucked away in a drawer - and Kettering's mayor is hoping people will help him cash in for charity by looking for them and donating them.

Cllr James Burton, the last ever mayor of the borough of Kettering before the unitary transition, has launched an unwanted currency collection fundraiser to raise funds for the Twinkling Stars Appeal at KGH.

He came up with the idea after the Covid-19 pandemic left him unable to hold fundraising events like he ordinarily would have.

He said: "I have been racking my brain trying to think of an initiative to raise money where you don't have to meet people.

"Everyone has got some old coins or currency that they've brought back from somewhere that they've forgotten about.

"If they can find it and donate it we can raise a lot of money. It's money for nothing."

Lloyds Bank in Market Street is acting as a collection point and Cllr Burton, an antique dealer and market trader, will collect anything donated on a regular basis and sort it to turn it into 'new money'.

He will accept any coins and bank notes of any age, in any condition, from any country and in any quantity.

The appeal has got off to a flying start already with donations so far including old pound coins, Deutschmarks and a pristine condition British Armed Forces special voucher £1 note.

One anonymous donation also saw 140 Euros handed in and the fundraiser, believed to be the only current fundraiser of its kind in Kettering, will run until the end of his mayoral year in March.

Cllr Burton is raising money for the Twinkling Stars Appeal, a cause close to his heart which launched last year and aims to raise £1m to dramatically improve the bereavement facilities at KGH for local families who have suffered the trauma of losing their baby.

The aim is to develop a brand new bereavement room, family room, quiet room and office separated from the Labour Suite - where bereaved families can currently be surrounded by families going through the joy of childbirth.

Cllr Burton said: "It's something that has touched so many hearts. You need to have a separate place to grieve.

"We are keeping it local and hope we can raise a lot of money for this very worthy cause."