Related Articles
Whistling postman Dale Howting has turned to ‘airmail’ to post his charity cheques.
Every year the former Sittingbourne postie collects money from his pedal bike and then delivers the cheques to all the recipients.
But this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, he decided a more practical solution would be use the Royal Mail.
Even so, he couldn’t resist making a spectacle of himself by dressing up as a fighter pilot complete with flying jacket and goggles.
He said: “I thought the idea of a former postman using airmail would bring a smile to people’s faces. It has been a really difficult year for everyone so I thought people needed cheering up!”
He picked the post box in Roman Square off the High Street which is where he has parked his bike most of the year to collect for good causes. He is often seen at the entrance of Homebase as well.
Even when the first lockdown forced him to abandon his station he carried on collecting from his front garden in Goodnestone Road.
Dale, 86, had been hoping to reach a grand total of £300,000 this year since he started 43 years ago but the threat of Covid-19 put paid to that – just.
He said: “The wretched pandemic has reduced everyone’s activities but I have still managed to raise £295,588. I now have a target of £4,000 to get next year and I am hoping to reach it.”
This year the kind-hearted residents of Swale helped him collect £6,500. He said: “They have remained so supportive, even with all the additional stress. I think they all deserve a Pride of Britain award for continuing to give week after week.”
Even when he spent 14 weeks in ‘lockdown’ at home residents still managed to whip up £600 which allowed him to give £1,000 as a special ‘thank you’ to the doctors and nurses and frontline NHS staff at Gillingham’s Medway Maritime Hospital which serves Swale.
He has given £1,500 each to Demelza Children’s Hospice and the Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance and £100 each to 25 other charities.
The full list of charities Dale Howting has donated to this year:
Demelza Children’s Hospice £1,500; Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex £1,500; Medway Hospital £1,000.
The rest have received £100 each: 55 Fellowship Sittingbourne; Age UK Sittingbourne; Blind Fellowship Sittingbourne; COGs Swale branch; Community Church Sheerness; Faversham Lights Association; Freedom Centre Sheerness; Guide Dogs for the Blind Sittingbourne; Holy Trinity Church Sittingbourne.
Kent Association for the Disabled; Kent Autistic Trust; Methodist church Sittingbourne; MS Sittingbourne; Parkinson’s Disease; Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal; Royal Society of St George; Salvation Army Sittingbourne; Sittingbourne Carnival Association; Sittingbourne Football Club.
Sittingbourne Lights Association; St Bartholomew’s church Bobbing; St Michael’s church Sittingbourne; Strode church Sittingbourne and Tunstall church.
Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne
Source link
