08
Nov
Harrogate man, 94, aims to collect 250,000 stamps for charity
A Harrogate man has set out to donate 250,000 used postage stamps to charity.
Alan Barker, 94, plans to make the donation to Macmillan Cancer Support in honour of his late wife and son-in-law.
Mr Barker lost his wife, Eileen, and his son-in-law, Christopher, to cancer just seven weeks apart and aims to give back to the charity whose nurses supported them in their final days.
He took on the mission after he read that used stamps can be donated to charities which then sell them by weight to raise funds.
He reached his initial target of 94,000 in July when he turned 94 and has since surpassed the target.
Mr Barker has now collected 200,000 used stamps for charity.
He keeps them loose in six large bags in his hallway. Each stamp is trimmed precisely and deposited into the sacks ready to be collected by Macmillian once he reaches his goal.
Used stamps can be sold by weight and a charity can receive approximately £20 for a kilogram of stamps.
Mr Barker also has around 7,000 stamps in albums that have been donated to his cause. However, these are being saved so that he can sell them separately to raise additional funds for the charity.
Alan Barker
Since word got out that he was collecting stamps “hundreds of local people” have dropped off stamps at his house.
He said:
One lady gave me 3,000 stamps one day and sometimes I just hear the letterbox go and find envelopes filled with stamps on the doormat.
I have received donations from people as far as Scotland and Sussex and Pannal Primary School have given me over 12,000 stamps.
He added that some of the envelopes contain written notes as well as stamps and he has received letters and donations from the relatives of old friends.
He said:
People have been so kind to me, and I sometimes get tears in my eyes. It is pleasing to collect them and I get contentment from trimming them. I have often been sat up at midnight sorting them.
I am doing it all in memory of Eileen and Christopher and it feels wonderful, I just hope to reach my goal.
Some of the collected stamps and a young Alan and Eileen on their wedding day.
To donate to his cause, stamps can to be sent by post to 37 West Lea Avenue, Harrogate, HG2 0AT or dropped off through the letterbox.
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