Drinks can ring pull appeal for charity

Afundraising stalwart is appealing for drinks can ring pulls for her creations which she sells to fundraise for charity.

Catherine Bennett, who lives in Leek, makes a multitude of creative items using the small bits of metal. Items which she then sells to raise cash for Breast Cancer Now.

The mother-of-four and grandmother-oftwo has raised more than £53,000 for Breast Cancer Now.

Catherine, who lives in Leek, began raising funds for the national charity some years ago after battling with the disease herself.

Catherine began by collecting unwanted bras and filling them into a Mini car and asking people to guess how many were in the vehicle, in return for a donation to the charity.

The former teacher then went on to decorate Leek’s main Christmas Tree with the garments for a further fundraising campaign, before then collecting can ring pulls and making numerous items from them to then sell for the charity.

Over the years, she has evolved her creativity to raising thousands of pounds for the charity making a variety of items out of unwanted items – included face masks out of unwanted material during the pandemic.

Catherine is often spotted hosting a stall with her creative wares at various community events and venues in Leek and further afield.

Catherine said of the charity which she raises money for, and is also now an Ambassador of: “Breast Cancer Now hope that by 2050, that no-one will die from breast cancer as a result of all their research and I’ll do all I can to facilitate that happening.”

Catherine has recently put out a plea for the drinks can ring pulls on social media, she said: “Please don’t bin your drinks can ring pulls. Let me have them.

“I’m trying to arrange collection points, or you can give or post them to me directly.

“These little bits of aluminium help me to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.”

Catherine further told the Leek Life Magazine: “I would be grateful of more ring pulls.

“I’m trying to get collection boxes/tubs into various locations around the town and its environs.

“So far there is one at Bennett Brooks accountants c/o Elizabeth, one at Brough Park Leisure Centre, and one at E Bennett Electrical Ltd in Burslem.

“And there will soon be one at the Foxlowe Arts Centre in Leek.”

To find out more about Catherine’s fundraising and her up-cycled creations, go online to: www.facebook.com/cannycrafts .