How a 93-year-old helped a special charity by collecting a haul of almost 3,000 stamps

Ethel Elliott has handed over a collection of 2,754 stamps collection to raise money for Canine Partners. She is pictured with Marjorie Johnston from the charity and Abbeyfield House staff Debbie Collins and Louise Douglas.

Ethel Elliott, who lives at Abbeyfield House, decided a year ago that she wanted to help Canine Partners raise some money.

She collected, saved and sorted a remarkable 2,754 stamps and presented them to Marjorie Johnston, a local volunteer with Canine Partners.

The stamps were carefully cut out by Ethel and sorted into British stamps, foreign stamps and numerous special stamp issues.

“There are quite a few commemorative stamps in there which we hope will be worth a bit of money,” said Marjorie, joint head of the North Northumberland Support Group for Canine Partners.

“We don’t know yet because we need to get an expert to take a look at them but any which are valuable will be put up for auction.”

She added: “It was an absolute delight to meet Ethel and it is great to see someone of her age helping people who are less fortunate than herself.”

Ethel, who has been staying in Abbeyfield House for four years, is orginally from Red Row.

Stamps can still be dropped off at Alnwick, Hedgeley and Rothbury Post Offices or The Star Inn Pub at Harbottle.

Canine Partners is a national charity that trains assistance dogs to transform the lives of people with disabilities, boosting their confidence and independence. The dogs are taught a range of everyday tasks, including picking up and fetching items, opening doors, helping to undress a person or fetching help in an emergency.