Tonnes of bottle tops need sorting in Haywards Heath

A retired woman who has sorted seven tonnes of bottle tops to raise money for charity is appealing for help to prevent her recycling work from being discontinued.
Barbara Lank has collected and sorted tonnes of bottle caps to raise money for charity. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140820-163154001Barbara Lank has collected and sorted tonnes of bottle caps to raise money for charity. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140820-163154001
Barbara Lank has collected and sorted tonnes of bottle caps to raise money for charity. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140820-163154001

Barbara Lank, 64, from Haywards Heath, has been sorting lids of milk bottles for ten years to raise money for the League of Friends at the Princess Royal Hospital.

“Unfortunately, the lady I was doing it in conjunction with has left her job as a medical secretary at the hospital and unless I can get some help to do it,it will have to be discontinued,” she said.

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Princess Royal Hospital have provisionally stopped their normal collection of bottle caps.

Barbara continued: “This is especially unfortunate as the recycling company has recently offered to double the amount they give us for tops because of the amount we send, nearly seven tonnes has been collected over the years.

“Not only does this benefit the hospital, it is also a very green issue with that amount going to recycling as opposed to going into landfill.”

Barbara, who is retired but works with Mid Sussex Older People’s Council, Patient Participation Group and Bentswood Community Partnership, is keen to continue the environmentally friendly work, and recently received four full bags to sort.

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She continued: “Whilst I appreciate it is a big task, I am looking to see if anyone is able to either help out or take over the running of it with the proceeds going to a charity of their choice.

Barbara needs someone to collect bags from the hospital and help with sorting,

She sorts a tonne of bottle caps into 50 bags before a recycling company collects them to be reused.

When she has reached a tonne the company sends her a cheque which she forwards to the League of friends.

“The majority of the tops are collected through the hospital and it is nice to be able to give something back to them, they are embracing green issues,” Barbara added