Josh Spies and Lucy Harvey. Credit: Sarah Batley/Tamworth Herald
Josh Spies aims to raise £3,000 to help build African orphanage through collection of empty printer cartridges.
Tamworth Herald reported that 15-year-old Josh Spies, who is a member of Tamworth Barbarian Scouts, is collecting empty printer cartridges for recycling in a bid to raise the £3,000 ($5,000/€3,700) needed for a 40-strong team, including himself, to help build an orphanage in the Kenyan village of Kikambala.
Spies commented: “We will be there for two weeks, helping to complete the orphanage. It is partially built at the moment so we will be doing things like plastering, painting and outhouse construction.
“I’ve never done anything like this before but I am really looking forward to it, so I think it will give me a good chance to start to understand how life is in the village for those the same age as me.”
Ankerside Shopping Centre in Tamworth donated a batch of used cartridges to the cause, with Administrator Lucy Harvey commenting: “We heard about Josh’s fund raising and we were impressed by his plans […] we are proud of our energy efficiency and recycling record here at Ankerside and always look to see if we can find a new use for things when they’ve run out, rather than throw them away.
“So I was delighted to be able to offer Josh our old printer cartridges, knowing that they will help him fund-raise for the project, building this orphanage for children in Kenya.”
Spies added: “I’m grateful for the support that Ankerside and other organisations in Tamworth have shown me. I have nearly raised £2,000 ($3,300/€2,500) and so far I have raised £150 ($250/€187) through the cartridge recycling. I also received a £250 ($417/€312) donation by the Tamworth Soroptimists.”