Thanks are due to Nathan and Dani at the Barrow Conservative Club for storing the builders’ bags there between collection from John every fortnight. Annette R takes part-filled bags there every few days from either the Co-op or Proctors Park.
Annette hopes that Barrow Footpath Group members Liz and Mick will start crushing the cans soon to reduce the space needed.
Last edited: midnght on Thursday, 10.12.2020
It’s three weeks since our car was written off leaving John Nowell to collect all the cans from across Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Rutland and Leicestershire, so all who have had to wait longer than usual deserve our thanks.
The cans continue to be donated. South Leicestershire Litter Wombles produced another bumper crop of cans, filling John’s trailer. North Leicestershire Litter Wombles are also collecting record amounts of cans on solo- and socially-distanced group picks. Our particular thanks to Belton Sam for emptying the can bank in his village and storing one-tonne builders’ bags until we can get there.
Among the bags was the huge clear plastic bag between the two filled wheelie bins. That bag had been filled by Nick W, and his colleagues at the Tesco depot near Lutterworth.
Our thanks to all donors whether mentioned here or not.
A couple of our benefactors have indicated that when we get a van to make collections more efficient they will join us.
If you would like to help in that way, please use the Contact Us button at the top of this page. We need more help and would be grateful.
Last edited: 2030 on Wednesday, 09.12.2020
My! How time flies! It’s a fortnight since we last updated this page to thank our supporters.
So, thanks to Can Man Ady A from Westcotes, Leicester, and to Lorne K, of Kinds of Queniborough, for their donations collected on November 2. Mind you, We might have to change Ady’s nickname… his donations included another chimney to match the one he gave us several weeks ago, plus a saucepan, some aluminum jelly moulds and the aluminium ‘guts’ of a dismantled DVD player.
The following day, November 3, we collected loads of cans from Nicki L in Western Park, Leicester. Nicki has generously presented us with a bit of a dilemma… separating the ring-pulls from the cans before she crushed them. Donating ring-pulls to the charity GAIN . Sometime, soon, Nicki, we’ll find a way of getting the ring-pulls there. Leaving Nicki’s, we took a wheelie bin to Leicestershire Lawn Tennis Club, 4 Westernhay Road, Leicester LE2 3HF whose members have been donating cans to us for a while. The wheelie bin is just inside the car park, so members of the public can donate there, too. Thank you to the management at the club. From there to another sports club… Glen Gorse Golf Club at Oadby, where golfers and members of Leicester De Montfort Tangent Club had amassed a car-load of cans, some of which had been crushed by Bev S and her pals. Thank you, all.
After a day off, on Bonfire Night it was off to Proctor’s Park at Barrow Upon Soar to empty the wheelie bin that charity founder John Nowell had taken there a week or so previously. The bin was gratifyingly overflowing! Thanks to Richard P for inviting us to leave a bin there, and to Annette R for being our ‘bin monitor.’ Annette is one of the Barrow Footpath Group who arranged for our Big Red Bin in Barrow. So, while in the village, it made sense to swing into the car park at the Co-op and empty the bin there. Thank you, Barrow Upon Soar!
It’s always good when, with the help of our SatNav, we are able to plan a cost-effective route from place to place. On November 8 it was invaluable to help us find our way to Burbage for the first time to collect from new supporter Janice M. Thanks, Janice. Sometimes, though, even the SatNav needs a hand. Another first-time donor Lyn B lives in Kirby Muxloe in a house with a name, but no street number. But Lyn very thoughtfully e-mailed us a photo of the front of her house. In advance of setting off, we used Google Maps street view and the house looks on Google Maps just as it does in Lyn’s photo. Thank you so much, Lyn, for your thoughtfulness!
The next day, November 9, it was only one pick-up, from the Big Red Bin at Shepshed… but still a round trip of 26 miles. Thanks to Beth for telling us the bind needed emptying. This seems the right time to thank Belton Sam for agreeing to empty the Big Red Bin in Belton and to hang on to the cans until COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Thank you, Sam L. We’ll ring you soon and take the cans from your garden!
November 11. Remembrance Day. Only 19 miles. First stop, back to Proctor’s Park at Barrow Upon Soar to drop off a second wheelie bin. It was great to meet staff members Joy and Bridget who very generously offered to sort out the aluminium cans from the contents of some of the other dozens of wheelie bins in Richard P’s bit caravan park. Thanks, Bridget and Joy… and all the donating residents. Second stop, back to Barrow’s Big Red Bin the Co-op car park. It will never overflow at this rate, but it was en route to first-time donors Andy and Jackie H.The couple (plus Smudge the dog) had brought home from Cromer, where they run a caravan park, thousands of cans, all crushed. Lovely! With the park now closed for the winter, Andy will have lots of time for decorating their Sileby home. Good luck, Andy :-). Thank you, Andy and Jackie. Home just in time for the two-minute silence at 11am!
Thursday, November 12 was only one trip — to Measham where Lattrice D had kindly left at the front of the house two builders’ bags full of cans collected from friends and villagers. A round trip of 53 miles, but very well worth it., Thanks, Lattrice.
The week-end — actually the fortnight-end — came on November 14 with a trip to yet another first-time donor Keighley P at Hinckley for a couple of bags of cans. Thanks, Keighley. From there it was but a short hop to Earl Shilton where Nicola E, her daughters and neighbours had not only filled the wheelie bin we had left them a couple of weeks or so ago, but also a collection of other bins. In among the hundreds of cans was a saucepan, a HUGE Christmas-tree jelly mould and an empty tin of biscuits (left over from last Christmas?). Sadly that tin, and a plant-pot holder were steel rather than aluminium, but thank you, Nicola, family and neighbours. The car full, it was straight to the trailer before nipping back down the road to Proctor’s Field where, true to their word, Joy and Bridget had sorted out a builder’s bag full of aluminium drinks cans. And that’s on top of the two wheelie bins full. Thank you, Richard, Joy and Bridget. And, with the Barrow Co-op car park so close, it would have been rude not to have dropped in en-route to the trailer and empty the half-full Big Red Bin.
So, a very successful fortnight. Three hundred and twenty miles, thousands and thousands of cans. Some more unusual items of aluminium. Lots of new supporters met (in a COVID-compliant way). And now, at last, HUGE thanks to many people who have helped us towards our target of saving the planet and towards our aim of saving lives.
Last edited: 1300 on Saturday 14.11.2020 (just in time for the rugby!)
Another busy week for Leicestershire’s donors/collectors to Helipads For Hospitals:
Monday, 26th: Two trips to Geoff W to collect the results of the litter-pickings of South Leicestershire Litter Wombles. Stomper Geoff reckons he had 246 kilogrammes of aluminium.
Tuesday, 27th: First stop, Coalville to receive from Lauren and Jovani two huge builders’ bags of cans collected from friends and neighbours. Sadly, it wasn’t possible to sing Happy birthday to year-old Iris, although we can report that Felix, six weeks old on that day, looks a very happy sleeping baby. Next stop to Earl Shilton for another couple of builders’ bags kindly collected and donated by Nicola E, her family, friends and neighbours.
Wednesday, 28th: Back to Geoff W’s for more of the huge number of aluminium cans from South Leicestershire Litter Wombles. Our trailer store was loking full as full as a stuffed Christmas turkey. Day over, we thought, as we went home for a cuppa. But then we received a phone call to say the bin at Shepshed was full. So it was off to Glenmore Park, Shepshed, then to the home of Gill M in the town to collect more builders’ bags and three bags of cans. Having dropped them off at the trailer, it made sense, while nearby, to drop in to empty — for the first time — the red wheelie bin which Richard P has kindly allowed us to park at Proctor’s Park, Barrow and then the even Bigger Red Bin in the Co-op car park in Barrow.
Thursday, 29th: Eyres Monsell resident Elaine B was our only trip of the day… but it was well worth it as Elaine had filled two builder’s bags
Friday, 30th: A day off.
Saturday, 31st: With new, stricter COVID Lockdown rules coming into play, it was a chance to scoot over to Belton (also in Tier 2), where the Big Red Bin was nearly half-full. This was followed by a meet-up (socially-distanced as far as possible) with John Nowell, Past President of Novus Rotary Maya Vansia and her husband Pradip ‘Stomper’ Womble Geoff W. Geoff brought with him the last three or four bags plus two big lumps of aluminium which had once been part of a lorry. They had been picked from a layby where they had been left. The meet-up was not a social chit-chat. It was a full-on hour-and-a-bit of strenuously but safely stacking builder’s bags so the trailer contains as much aluminium as possible for its next trip to the smelter’s. At last, it was possible again to see the floor of the trailer!
Sunday, November 1: A quick trip to Thorpe Astley where Jason T had saved half a dozen builders’ bags from his latest landscaping project. And some texts to arrange a visit tomorrow to Westcotes and ‘Can Man’ Ady A.
Thank you, everyone mentioned here (and many more not named) for donating such a huge amount of aluminium.
As the second national Lockdown starts this week, we ask for your patience as we may not be able to collect all your donations. But, please keep collecting them and clearing our streets of unsightly and unsafe litter. Let us know when you need us to call to collect, but please bear with us if it takes us longer than usual to get to you.
So, thanks for what you have done in the past, and thanks for what you will do in the future!
Last edited: 19:00 on Sunday, November 1, 2020
If Geoff and the other Wombles didn’t ‘stomp’, this area would be completely full,
and still the same weight. Thanks, stompers everywhere!
Having emptied the Belton and the Shepshed bins a day earlier than intended, we thought we could have a lie-in on Saturday.
But Margaret and David K asked us to take their cans from Groby. But it was easy to swing by Barrow-upon-Soar Co-op to empty the bin there. So, the week ends with another eight or nine builder’s bags full of cans (and crutches and a door sill) and another 304 miles on the odometer of ‘the Tardis’ (not that The Doctor would be impressed by that!).
Thanks to all our supporters, particularly our litter-picking heroes from South Leicestershire Litter Wombles. While I was writing this, ‘Stomper’ Geoff messaged me a video of the huge number of dustbin bags that need collecting from him next week. There’s enough for three trips in the ‘Tardis’.
Last edited: 16:15 on Saturday, 24.10.2020
A properly busy Friday for Helipads For Hospitals in Leicestershire.
Firstly, a trip to our store, with cans we had collected, then on to Melton Mowbray where Kathy T and her friends had amassed enough cans to fill a one-tonne builder’s bag. Thanks, Kathy and friends.
Just as we were about to drop them off in our store — a borrowed articulated lorry trailer — we took a phone call from Sue S who was standing alongside the Big Red Bin in Shepshed. “Someone,” she said (although ‘someone’ was not the exact word she used!) “has blocked the bin by stuffing bags full of clothes into it. I can’t get my cans in there.”
Assured that we would be there in 40 minutes, she felt confident she could leave her cans on the ground outside. When we arrived we found that no fewer than eight dustbin bags full of clothes had been stuffed into the can bank, so it was only half-full. Thank you, Sue S, for ringing 0795 197 2914 so our charity could not be accused of causing a nuisance. And thank you H4H supporters in Shepshed.
Taking advantage of the opportunity of a small load, we returned to the Shepshed home of Clive E (see below). Still, the car that Katie C at Countesthorpe calls the Tardis was not yet full, so we took the chance to drive four miles down the road to empty the Belton can bank. Thanks, Belton!
After dropping those cans off at the store, it was back home.
There, we found an e-mail from the clerk to Shepshed Town Council asking us to empty the bin, as it was full! It was with pleasure that we were able to report that we had emptied the bin 45 minutes before the e-mail had been sent!
Last edited: 16:00 on Saturday, 24.10.2020
Claire D and her contacts in Croft and Huncote donated another two builders’ bags full of crushed cans today. Thanks, Claire.
Clive E and his colleagues at Loughborough Police Station donated more than two builders’ bags today. Thank you, Clive and everyone.
Last edited: 14:00 on Wednesday, 21.10.2020
Thanks, today, to Dennis P and the staff at Loughborough Hospital for donating a one-tonne builder’s bag full of aluminium cans.
Also to the members of the Inner Wheel Club of Oadby for handing over several bags of cans, all nicely crushed.
Last edited: 14:30 on Wednesday, 21.10.2020
We reckon Diana N must be good at wrapping presents. Every time we go to her home in South Wigston, we pick up loads of cans, all properly crushed with the wall-mounted crusher she has bought and beautifully tied up.
Not only does that mean we get the to get the most weight into the big green bags she uses, but any liquid she hasn’t managed to squash out of them stays away from the upholstery in our vehicles! Thank you, Diana, your family and neighbours for the 13 bags and the aluminium external door sill you gave us today.
And thank you, Katie T, for the one-tonne builder’s bag full of cans you gave today — our first pick-up from your home in Kibworth Beauhamp. Katie and her mum Debbie are both paramedics who sometimes work together in the same ambulance. Thank you both so much for that, and for the cans!
Last edited: 19:45 on Monday, 19.10.2020
An easy Saturday morning… just over two hours, 32 miles covered and the bins at Shepshed, Belton and Barrow emptied. Thanks to those villagers and litter-picking Wombles.
The photo above shows the pair of crutches donated by the gentleman at Leicester’s recycling centre (see below).
But can you identify what the green aluminium item is? Please leave your guess in the comment section at the bottom of this page. Don’t be afraid of getting the answer wrong. It’s only for fun… that means there’s no prizes 🙂
At the Shepshed bin we encountered a problem. The Air Ambulance’s big yellow bin had not been emptied. So someone who wanted to donate nine black bin bags full of clothes felt they should put the bags in our Big Red Bin, choking it up. To avoid rats getting at the donations, we put the bags on top of the yellow bin.
Both the Air Ambulance bin and the Helipads For Hospitals bin has a phone number. Ours is 0745 197 2914. The Air Ambulance charity bin’s number is clearly in the photo below.
Last edited: 13:00 on Saturday, 17.10.2020
Despite Covid, collecting goes on… Thanks to Lorne, Proprietor of Kinds of Queniborough and his customers and friends and neighbours for the 15 bags of cans we collected four days ago.
And to the kind gentleman we intercepted at the Gypsum Close recycling site in Leicester yesterday for a pair of aluminium crutches. Like everyone we explain the aims of Helipads For Hospitals to, he responded: “It’s about time LRI had a helipad!”
Last edited: noon on Thursday, 15.10.2020
Back to Barrow today to collect from Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club for a one-tonne builder’s bag full of cans, after going to the south of Leicester where Jaimie LG gave us a bin bag full of cans. Thanks, Jaimie and Nathan and Danielle.
Last edited: 19:50 on Sunday, 11.10.2020
It’s as though we are going to hold a competition for the most unusual chunk of aluminium donated.
Today, in addition to seven bags of cans he had collected from the streets near his Leicester home, Ady A gave us the chimney you can see balanced on the bag of drinks cans in our storage facility. Thank you, Ady.
In recent weeks we have been given crutches, bike wheels, a garage door, tracks from a stairlift, and the ‘business end’ of a central heating boiler.
Today, too, we collected from Ngaire and Rob Hall en route to empty the Big Red Bins in Shepshed, Belton and Barrow. Thanks, everyone, for helping us protect the environment by giving us aluminium.
All three bins are clearly being well used… It was a week ago today that we last emptied them.
At Belton, we had a moment’s nervousness when we arrived at the playing fields moments after the ref arrived for the football match. There was a little confusion about who was parking where before the ref got out of his car and ominously checked that he had his yellow card! We didn’t linger 🙂
During the last week we had also visited Leicestershire Lawn Tennis and Squash Club in Westernhay Road, Leicester. Groundsman Paul S has — appropriately — squashed the cans his members have donated. Thanks, Paul.
On the same day we collected cans from Glen Gorse Golf Club in Oadby donated by golfers and members of Leicester De Montfort Tangent. We also collected from first-time donor Cheryl B in Wigston.
Oh! Nearly forgot Phil M, today he gave us half a dozen one-tonne builders’ bags which are so vital to the way we transport an store our aluminium, whether they are cans, bits of boilers, or window frames! Thanks, Phil.
Have you got any aluminium you want to give us? If you have, please click the Contact Us button on this page giving us your home address (including postcode) so we can find you and your phone number(s) so we can arrange a suitable time.
Last edited 17:25 on 10.10.2020
Thanks to Leanne H and her friends and neighbours in Broughton Astley for another one-tonne builder’s bag full of crushed cans.
Last edited: 01.10.2020
Thanks to our youngest and newest…
Age —or rather youth — seemed to be at the centre of Leicestershire’s efforts for Helipads For Hospitals yesterday. After quick visits to Earl Shilton (thanks, Nicola E), and just a few miles down the road (thanks, Claire D and your donors from Croft and Huncote), we went to Coalville where we met our youngest supporter, 14-day-old Felix photographed here in the arms of his mum Lauren with dad Jovani and 13-month-old sister Iris alongside. This happy family are doing a wonderful job — even as we loaded the car with a builder’s bag full of crushed cans and seven other bags, a donor turned up with another bag of cans to help H4H to provide a helipad at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
While that was happening, charity founder John Nowell was visiting Nadine H who was handing over her first — we hope, of many —collection of cans. Thanks, and welcome to the growing number of can-doers, Nadine!
John met volunteers Geoff W (known by his South Leicestershire Litter Wombles pals for his ‘stomping’ technique) and Jim at the lorry trailer. There, they stacked the one-tonne builders’ bags four and five high. Thanks, Geoff, for your height and strength.
Later in the day we responded to a phone call from Sam L who reported that he had visited the our newest Big Red Bin in Belton, near Shepshed every morning since it was installed. “It’s full,” he had said.
Maintaining the theme of youth, we found several examples of ‘newness’ — what looked like foil-wrapped subs. But inside was not bread and ham but lots of aluminium foil food wrappers of all sorts! Thanks, people of Belton, particularly, those who crushed the aluminium so it took up the least amount of space.
As we removed the bag from the bin, we found underneath it this tiny froglet. She was on her back, spreadeagled. It was impossible to guess whether she had been in there ever since the bin was installed a week ago or whether she had crawled up through the little drainage hole in the base of the bin.
In any event, she was very sluggish when we lifted her out of the bin and into the base of the hedge. Sadly, it looked likely that she would only become dinner for an owl.
On the way back to the trailer, it was easy to stop off in Shepshed where the bin was so full it needed two builders’ bags to transport to the trailer. Thanks, people of Shepshed.
Leaving aside John’s time and journey from Oakham to the trailer via Long Whatton, and Geoff’s miles and couple of hours, we clocked up 123 miles and were busy for six hours.
Last edited 18:45 on Wednesday, 30.09.2020
Another successful week for Helipads For Hospitals in Leicestershire….
Monday, 21.09.20 was busy… drop off a builder’s bag at the Dog and Gun pub in Enderby, at the invitation of landlord Sean Litchfield, two trips to Narborough Road South to collect from South Leicestershire Litter Wombles (thanks, Geoff W), one trip to Stoney Stanton (thanks, Sarah L), one trip to empty the bin at Shepshed (thanks, Shepshed) and en-route to the store, to check the bin at Barrow. Three trips to our store. A total of 113 miles and eight hours!
Two days off, and an early Thursday morning visit to empty the Barrow bin (thanks, people of Barrow), drop in at Barrow Cricket Club where groundsman John U was inspecting the pitch. The builder’s bag of cans was HEAVY… John had crushed all the cans by putting the cricket club roller over them. Thanks, John. We look forward to working with you in the future. Then off to Measham where new donor Lattrice D had loads of cans for us. So only two trips to our store that day. 52 miles in three hours.
But the biggest and best news of the week comes from Belton, near Loughborough. Head over to our News Page for details…
Last edited: 17.55 on Sunday, 26.09.2020
PHEW! What a great end to a busy week for H4H in Leicestershire!
It started well on Tuesday (see below). On Wednesday, we got to the Shepshed Big Red Bin at Glenmore Park just in time before it started to overflow. Inside were enough cans to almost fill TWO builder’s bags. Thank you, people of Shepshed. If all the cans had been crushed and all the plastic bags had been taken away, we would have had even more cans in there! From Shepshed to Woodlands Road, Loughborough, to collect from another first-time donor, Kelly H. Thank you, Kelly.
On Friday, it was off to Glen Gorse Golf Club at Oadby where Bev S, the golfers and the ladies of Leicester De Montfort Tangent had contributed enough cans to fill very nearly three builder’s bags. The car full, it had to be off to our store. Car empty, next stop was Barrow upon Soar, where our diligent ‘monitor’ Annette R had tipped us off that the village’s new shiny red bin was ¾ full. Perfect! It fitted nicely into the car along with cans collected earlier in the week from David K and his wife Margaret at Groby. Also included in that run were several bags full of cans donated by Martin W.
Day done, five more builders’ bags and our store looking nice and neat and tidy.
Saturday, it all changed! H4H volunteer Jim met his nephew Lorne K at his business Kinds of Queniborough. There was something like 60 plastic bin bags which completely packed Lorne’s van and Jim’s car. In among the cans were the aluminium rims of two bicycle wheels donated by Lorne’s father Ian K.
As Lorne and Jim drove away, charity founder John Nowell was being interviewed on BBC Radio Leicester’s Andy Pierce (see the News page)
By the time Jim got home, Garner Roberts, had dropped of a big bag of well-crushed cans. And Margaret L, had e-mailed to say she had a load of cans. So it was off to Woodhouse Eaves and then back to our store. The 70 or so bin bags of cans were piled high against the doors of the articulated lorry trailer. Ninety minutes later, with the cans decanted into eight more builder’s bags, the store was, again, tidy. Job done!
Thanks to everyone who is helping Helipads For Hospitals inch closer to the 80 tonnes (maybe 5.7 million cans) of aluminium needed for the first helipad, planned for Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Last edited: 19:35 on Saturday, 19.09.2020
It’s great when things fall naturally into place.
This morning was a first trip to Leicester Road, Hinckley, where first-timer Jane G had left a nicely crushed and bagged load of cans ready for collection. Then it was just down the road to Earl Shilton where Nicola E and her daughters and friends had filled a one-tonne bag to the brim..
Next stop was to Claire D’s only a few miles away where, as usual, there was a swap of an empty builder’s bag for one filled by the folk of Croft and Huncote.
All too often we have to make several trips the same part of Leicestershire over consecutive days. But today there was no wasted journey, no wasted space and a lovely tidy trailer after Saturday’s working party had stacked the bags, thereby saving space.
Oh… and the sun shone brilliantly 🙂
Last edited: 13:30 on Tuesday, 15.09.2020
When Lauren S rang this afternoon asking us to go to Coalville, she asked us to collect the one-tonne builder’s bag we had left last time. She apologised that she would not be there but Jovani would be there to help us pack the car.
By the time we got there, nearly an hour later, Jovani and their friends had received loads more cans, so we ended up taking away not one, but two bags. So a big thank you to Lauren, Jovani and their friends.
Their friends, incidentally, include Diana Neal, from South Wigston, who first encourage Lauren to collect for us. Thanks, Diana
We hope that by the next time we see Lauren, she will have her new baby.
Mind you, that’s what we wrote (below) on 27.08.2020
And on 14.08.2020!
Maybe next time we can publish a photo of Lauren and baby!
Last edited: 18:00 on 11.09.2020
BIG thanks to Jo and Phil W, from Belton, near Loughborough.
Today Jo delivered a bag of cans along with two extruded aluminium tracks which until recently had been part of a stairlift.
Also included was a heat exchanger from a boiler. That weighed 15.5kg.
So together, those three items weighed about the same as 2,464 cans. And they didn’t make the car stink 🙂
Not only all of that, but Jo and other members of North Leicestershire Litter Wombles are busy raising money so Belton folk will be able to have a can bank in their village.
Thank you, Jo and Phil
Last edited 21:10 on Wednesday 09.09.2020
Thanks to Jaimie G, from Croft, who donated a couple of bin bags full of crushed drinks cans.
Last edited: 18:30 on Wednesday, 09.09.2020
Thanks to the good people of Barrow upon Soar who half-filled their ‘can bank’ and to Danielle and Nathan and the customers of Barrow Conservative Club for a similar number of drinks cans.
Last edited: 18:25 on Wednesday, 09.09.2020
Thanks to Rotarian Adrian W, from Countesthorpe, for bringing a couple of bags of cans to our mini hub in Thurcaston on September 4.
Last edited: 18:20 on 09.09.2020
Thanks to Ady A from Leicester, and to Cindy and Dave from Cosby for a total of six bags of crushed cans taken to our store today. Particular thanks to Dave who cannot stomp cans, but does an excellent job of flattening them with a mallet! 🙂
Lasted edited: 16:10 on Thursday, 03.09.2020
Thanks, once again, to Margaret and David Knight and their Groby neighbours and friends for the latest batch of cans (and crisp packets).
Last edited: 15;00 on Wednesday, 02.09.2020
September got off to the same sort of start that August finished with…
First to Countesthorpe where Katie C had left a one-tonne bag on the drive.
Then to fellow South Leicestershire Litter Womble Diana N at South Wigston. She, too, had left a bag at the front of her house. Thanks, Katie and Diana… and to Diana’s next-door neighbour Jan who came out with antiseptic wipes. The bags were left in the trailer.
Then an unscheduled call at 3.30pm to Shepshed where North Leicestershire Litter Womble Sam L had spotted that the Big Red Bin was full with 1¼ one-tonne bag. From there, because it is en-route to our store, we dropped in at Barrow upon Soar where the new bin was ¾ full.
So four one-tonne bags filled, about four hours on the road and 71 miles driven.
Last edited: 18:00 on Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Even on a cold morning like today, wasps just cannot resist the sugar left over in drinks cans.
These chaps were buzzing around like nobody’s business when we first opened the trailer to deliver a dozen bin bags of cans collected from Emma S, in Anstey. When the cold air hit them, they quietened down, and some flew deeper into the trailer where it was less cold and where there was more sugar.
Thank you, Emma, and your friends and neighbours in Anstey.
Last edited 19:30 on Saturday, 29.08.2020
Sadly, litter is not confined to our streets, lanes and hedgerows.
Thanks to Grantham RiverCare loads of litter has been removed from waterways in the area and they have donated more than 300 aluminium cans to Helipads for Hospitals in the last month. Thank you, David Martin and your environmentalist friends at Grantham RiverCare.
Last edited: 21:00 on Friday, 28.08.2020
Thanks to Lauren S and the people of Coalville for another builders bag full of cans… only 13 days since we collected the last one. And thanks to Lauren and Jovani for crushing them.
Then we were off to Shepshed where the good folk had filled their can bank.
Next stop was Barrow‘s new can bank. Fortunately, it was not so full that we couldn’t squeeze them into the car… unfortunately in doing so, we squeezed a lot of juice out!
Finally, at the store, we collected another bag-and-a-half of drinks cans. Seriously, guys, think about your sugar intake! 🙂 But thanks to you all
Thanks to Josphine B and her friends and neighbours in Birstall for adding yet more cans to our total.
Last edited: 18:10 on Thursday, 27.08.2020
Collecting cans for Helipads For Hospitals may be infectious…
During the height of Lockdown, Dean York, from Cosby used his plumber’s van to bring a dozen bags of cans collected by himself and his wife Fotoula. Recently their next door neighbour Matt Napleton, in the same line of business, turned up at Thurcaston with about the same number of bin bags full of cans.
Thanks, Fotoula, Dean and Matt
Last edited 0845 on Thursday, 27.08.2020
You’ve met schoolgirl artist Bethany before on this website. Here she is with her Helipads For Hospitals poster and this time with her sister Megan, a chef. The girls are looking forward to a fair in their part of Earl Shilton at the end of the month when Bethany’s poster will appeal to a wider area.
The great news for us is that the sisters will now crush all the cans they put into a builder’s bag.
Thanks, Bethany and Megan!
Last edited at 16:00 on Wednesday, 19.08.2020
Claire and her friends in Huncote and Croft have done it again… We collected 2½ builder’s bags full of cans. We love collecting from Claire… she and her family make sure the cans are all crushed… and counted. Claire knows exactly how full to fill the builder’s bags — about five inches from the top —so they fit neatly beneath the ceiling of the car.
We call them builders’ bags… or one-tonne builders’ bags. Claire calls them Tay bags. One day we’ll ask her why. Or maybe you readers know why… or maybe you call them something else.
Remember you can comment at the bottom of this page.
Thanks, Claire, Croft and Huncote!
Last edited 16:00 on Wednesday, 19.08.2020
Thanks to Pradeep and Nisha Popat and all their customers at Mirch Masala for the ten bags of cans you left at Jim’s house this week. If Jim cuts the hedge and the holly by the wrought-iron gate, will you put the bags behind the gate next time, Pradeep? 😊
Last edited: 18:20 on Friday, 14.08.2020
Thanks to everyone who donated
Thank you, everyone on Barrow-upon-Soar. Your bin was emptied at 4.20pm today — exactly a week after the bin was installed! As you can see from the picture, the bag was half-filled in a week. Great going. Thanks to Liz and Annette and everyone who donated crushed cans.
Last edited: 18:00 on Friday, 14.08.2020
Thanks, Lauren S., at Coalville, for the builder’s bag full to the brim of cans. And thanks, Jovani, for crushing them and helping Jim squeeze them into his car. Maybe the next time we see you, your baby will have arrived… Mind you, I see that I wrote exactly that when I came last time on July 23!!!!
Last edited: 18:00 on Friday, 14.08.2020
Thanks to Gill Moore for another four one-tonne builder’s bags, and to the good folk of Shepshed (including Gill) for filling the Big Red Bin in Glenmore Park.
And then a welcome to the gang and thank you to Rachel Smith at Ab Kettleby for her first box-full of cans. In return, she got…
you guessed it… one of Gill’s one-tonne builder’s bags to fill 😊
Thank you all
Last edited 13:30 on Thursday, 30.07.2020
Thanks, Katie Chitham, Diana Neal and Leanne Hammond for today’s loads of cans.
First trip to Countesthorpe this morning removed two of the three one-tonne bags from Katie’s drive. The second took the third and, along with Leanne’s one-tonne bag load from Broughton Astley, made two trips by the completely-filled Toyota Verso.
The car has been nicknamed by Katie as the Tardis because it seems big inside, rather than because the gears make a weird a grating noise. 😊
Thank you, ladies!
Last edited: 16:00 on Tuesday, 28.07.2020
Thanks to Claire Dunphy and her son Mark and their many friends from the Huncote and Croft areas for the 2 ½ builders’ bags of cans.
This, says Claire, takes “our total collected AND crushed to 14,040 since January… a big thank you to Huncote Girls/Boys Brigade, Mayor of Huncote, Croft Wombles, Nicola and family in Earl Shilton , Croft villagers and Croft Football Club for their support and contribution..”
Thanks, Claire. We couldn’t have put it better 😊
Last edited 17:50 on Saturday, 25.07.2020
Another first-time contributor like Debbie, M. of Barwell (see below), is Lauren S., of Coalville. Lauren’s half-full builders’ bag of cans were all nicely crushed, drastically reducing the number of journeys we make and the fuel we use in collecting them.
So, thank you, Lauren. We look forward to hearing from you when you have nearly filled the two builders’ bags we left at yours! Maybe we will see you before your baby arrives. 😊
Last edited: 15:20 on 23.07.2020
OOOER! Not for the first time, our stack of builder’s bags toppled over as we were adding another tier.
Thirty minutes later and the scene was tidied up with the first donation from Debbie M, of Barwell. As you can see from the photo below, Debbie and her friends had prepared the cans exactly as we like them. They had been drained (protecting our vehicle) and crushed.
Thanks you, Debbie and friends.
Last edited 13:40 on Tuesday 21.07.2020
Thanks to Can Man Ady for continuing the streets near his home of litter. As well as giving us nine bin bags of cans, he also recylcles plastic bottles and much else.
Well done, Ady.
Last edited 13:40 on Tuesday 21.07.2020
Thanks to whoever it was who dropped off lots of brand-new one-tonne builders’ bags at the Thurcaston home of our volunteer Jim, while he was out collecting cans. As you can see below and on other pages on this website, these bags are a crucial part of our collection, transportation and storage of the aluminium cans.
Jim has now made inquiries and found that the bags were donated by S&S Builders and EH Smith Merchants (via Andrew Robinson).
Thank you, all! Please don’t think that we don’t need any more one-tonne builders’ bags… thanks to our many supporters, they get filled up as quick as you can sing “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony…
Thank you, Bill B, from Shepshed, for your donation of builders’ bags.
Last edited at 18:15 on Tuesday, 21.07.2020
On the first day that Braunstone Town had been taken out of Locked-In Leicester (or off the ‘naughty step’ as South Leicestershire Little Wombles Geoff calls it) Helipads For Hospitals volunteer Jim was able to make three journeys to collect 5 ½ one-tonne builders’ bags of cans.
Thanks to all the South Leicestershire Litter Wombles for collecting them on. Particular thanks to Geoff and Desne for ‘curating’ them for longer than usual because of the Lockdown rule.
Last edited 16:15 on Sunday, 19.07.2020
Thank you, Bev Southerden and your friends in Tangent and at Glen Gorse Golf Club, Oadby, for the two builders’ bags of cans we collected on 16.07.2020
Last edited 16:15 on Sunday, 19.07.202
Like David and Margaret Knight (see below) Katie Chitham, who has been a very active South Leicestershire Litter Womble during her school’s Lockdown closure, is also collecting bottle tops and crisp packets. She is also amassing quite a collection of writing equipment for charity.
But that busy-ness did not prevent her from collecting cans from fellow Womble Diana Neal. Together, their 15 bin bags filled nearly three one-tonne builders bags at the H4H storage facility where the 45ft long trailer is very nearly full to its ceiling (see below).
Thank you, Wombles Katie and Diana.
Last edited: 15:15 on Thursday, 09.07.2020
David and Margaret Knight are not only collecting cans for Helipads For Hospitals, but also crisp packets and plastic bottle tops for other charities. The packets and bottle tops were collected from Groby along with three bags of cans.
Thank you, David and Margaret
Last edited: 15:00 on Thursday, 09.07.2020
Someone working at Loughborough Hospital spotted a Helipads For Hospitals flier and started collecting cans… and not only cans. They were collected on Monday, 06.07.2020
Thanks, everyone at Loughborough Hospital
This all happened on the day that businessman Lorne Kind of Kinds of Queniborough and Deepak Karia, helped pack our first articulated lorry trailer to the ceiling with thousands of cans.
Thanks, Lorne and Deepak
Last edited: 1340 on Monday, 06.07.2020
It’s amazing what we can do when we work together. Belton Litter Pickers and Shepshed Litter Pickers got together on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
Among them was 13-year-old Zack, who was busy with his mum, Gill Moore. The family from Shepshed have been contributing cans for quite a while. And, thanks to Gill, we have been given quite a few one-tonne builder’s bags, which have become crucial to the way we transport and store the cans.
Thanks, Zack and Gill
Last edited: 18:45 on Wednesday, 01.07.2020
When Sara Brudenell e-mailed to say she had read about H4H on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/798008080213402/ and had some cans to donate, we offered to collect them. “No,” she said, “I’m coming from Ramsey, Peterborough, to see family and friends – I’ll bring them to you.”
And that’s just what she did. There may have been only one small bag of cans but we are grateful to her and to everyone because we agree with Asda that every little helps.
Thanks, Sara, we’re glad you had a good time seeing your family here in Leicestershire for the first time in months.
Last edited 19:30 on Saturday, 27.06.2020
Sandra Kenny from Melton Mowbray has again donated drinks cans to the Helipads For Hospitals appeal.
Thanks, Sandra. Much appreciated.
Last edited: 18:35 on Saturday, 27.06.2020
Not only did Danielle and Nathan Armiger collect enough cans to fill a one-tonne builder’s bag, but they handed over £30 raised by raffling a giant Easter egg at Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club. They’re really looking forward to opening the club next Saturday, July 4.
Thanks, Danielle and Nathan… and all your customers who add to our can collection
Last edited 18:30 on Saturday, 27.06.2020
Emma Stewart moved into Anstey only a couple of years ago. She says she has not made a lot of friends there. Yet, she donated nine bin bags of cans which she has amassed during Lockdown.
Thanks Emma.
Last edited 18:20 on Saturday, 27.06.2020
It was a real family affair again when Cees Valk dropped off eight bin bags of cans at the home of H4H volunteer Jim Matthews… his mother-in-law, Ruth, who lives near Jim just happened to be passing by and was keen to see what her son-in-law was up to.
So, thanks, Cees and their fellow supporters!
Last edited: 18:00 on Thursday, 25.06.2020
Businessman Lorne Kind has been working throughout the COVID-19 crisis, delivering hot and cold meals to his customers across Leicestershire. But he has also been asking family and friends to donate aluminium cans to provide a helipad at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Lorne, (nephew of H4H volunteer Jim Matthews) has gone further, putting a bin near his home in Queniborough and leafleting his neighbours asking them to drop their used drinks cans there, and now he has offered to help collect cans from other donors on Tuesdays when he drives from Market Harborough, Lutterworth, Kibworth, Cosby, and Hinckley.
That is very kind of you, Mr Kind… Thank you, Lorne
Last edited: 20:00 on Wednesday, 24.06.2020
Despite shielding during Lockdown, Cynthia Davies, of Cosby, has donated nine bags of drinks cans to Helipads For Hospitals, some of her own and some from folk she knows.
Thanks, Cynthia
Last edited: 22:00 on Tuesday, 23.06.2020
Not only does Mark Dunphy collect — and encourage others to collect — cans for Helipads For Hospitals, but he crushes them and counts them.
Thanks, Mark, and Croft Football Club, Huncote Girls/Boys Brigade, Croft Litter Wombles for the 5,000-plus cans you have donated so far
Last edited: 14:20 on 17.06.2020
Here at H4H we used to have time to count cans and to crush them. As our campaign has grown, we’re having difficulty keeping track of the one-tonne builder’s bags which are so vital to the way we transport and store the cans.
Thanks, Gill Moore (via Phil Marriott), Stuart Preston, Chris Trivett and others for donating more of these much-needed bags
Last edited: 14:20 on 17.06.2020
Golfers across the UK would have been celebrating that relaxation of Lockdown rules means they can get back on course.
Thanks, Bev Southerden and the members of Glen Gorse Golf Club, Oadby, and the ladies of Leicester De Montfort Tangent for collecting cans for us
Last edited: 14:20 on 17.06.2020
Ady (The Can Man) is well known in his part of Leicester for clearing the streets of litter of all sorts. Every fortnight or so we go there to fill our car boot with cans he has collected.
Thanks, Ady
Last edited: 14:20 on 17.06.2020
Thanks to Mandy Stretton, of Cropston, for asking her builders to give us three one-tonne bags which are vital to our transportation and storage.
Mandy’s gate bears this old sign from the LNER. It made us 😊
Thanks, Mandy — and your builders. Nice wall. Nice gate!
26.03.2020
Thank you to Jock, and — soon — Vipers RFC. Jock has promised us some one-tonne builders’ bags which we rely on. He has also promised to talk to his rugby club, Vipers, about getting them to collect cans for us.
Thanks, Jock and Vipers. We hope you’ll be meeting soon post-COVID-19
19.03.2020
Thank you to Norman Bell and Cheryl Young, of Thurcaston who sought out an empty one-tonne bag from the garden and promised us more when the others are empty. A few days later they not only gave another bag… but delivered it, too!
Thank you… and yes, we will come and help you empty the other bags! 😊
St Patrick’s Day, 2020 and 26.03.2020
Thanks to the unnamed man in Hinckley Road, Leicester Forest West, for so generously coming to the door in his dressing gown, listening to the reason why H4H needs one-tonne builders’ bags and giving us four with a promise of more to come.
Thank you, sir. We hope you enjoyed your shower when you got back into it 😊
St Patrick’s Day, 2020
Thanks, again, to Can Man Ady for his four bin bags of crushed cans.
Thanks, Ady
St Patrick’s Day, 2020
Thanks to Matt M for giving Helipads For Hospital a one-tonne builder’s bag so crucial to the way the charity collects, transports and stores the thousands of cans we are given.
Thanks, Matt. Keep the football faith!
St Patrick’s Day, 2020
Thanks to the good people of Shepshed who filled the Big Red Bin in Glenmore Park with thousands of cans (and some Christmas decorations, model Santas, some clothes and some handbags clearly intended for the yellow Air Ambulance bin alongside).
St Patrick’s Day, 2020
Thanks to Michael and the staff at Zeph’s Cafe, Oadby for encouraging customers to donate cans and then rinsing them and crushing them.
Thank you, Michael and everyone
Friday, March 13, 2020
Thanks to the big-hearted Heart of England Supporters, money was raised for another Big Red Bin. Pleae click here for the report
Thank you, Bala and Paul and D1060 Rotarians
Wednesday, February 11, 2020
Thanks to Andrew Neale for the use of his 45ft articulated trailer which has revolutionised the way H4H stores and transports cans.
Please click here for the report
Thanks, Andrew.
Thanks to Jason Tottey for giving us loads of one-tonne builders’ bags… exactly what we need to store the cans in and to transport them.
Thanks, Jason. Enjoy your landscaping project! 😊
Thanks to Ady A for his donation of a load of cans… many of them cleaned and crushed… just the way we like them!
Thanks, Ady.
Who haven’t you mentioned. Amazing article
We believe in giving thanks where thanks are due!
Thanks for your interest and your comment.
Very well worded!
Saved as a favorite, I really like your web site!
Thank you for your comment, it is much appreciated. Also, you can support our charity by buying some of our books, which in turn support the various Air Ambulances in their counties. The books available are ‘A Day Above Leicestershire’, ‘A Day Above Gloucestershire’, ‘A Day Above Cambridgeshire’, ‘A Day Above Yorkshire’, ‘A Day Above The Lake District’, ‘A Day Above Northamptonshire’ and ‘A Day Above Rutland’. They are all available on Amazon and we receive 50% of sales. The books are aimed at ‘Grumpy Old Men’ – who are the most difficult people to buy presents for! The book will give them something to laugh about and enjoy on Christmas Day afternoon! The books cost £14.99.
Thank you for your support.