Butcher Icarus Hines has raised almost £2500 for Big C by selling dog bones and a calendar. Icarus pictured with his dog Roxie, shop manager Wendy Brown (centre) and community fundraiser Diane Northway. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

Butcher’s bones help Cromer Big C cancer shop

Picture: ANTONY KELLY
Thursday, January 31, 2013
11:00 AM

Make no bones about it, the latest big donation to a Cromer charity shop has given it plenty to chew on.

For much of the £2,450 handed to the town’s Big C shop by local butcher Icarus Hines came from an “honesty box” collecting donations for unwanted bones.

It will help the charity’s longer-term aim of adding advise and information support at the Church Street premises it opened at Christmas.

Mr Hines, who regularly raises £2,000 a year for charity from his shops at Cromer and Sheringham, said the donation to Big C was a combination of the bones cash and sales of a saucy seaside postcard style calendar starring his larger-than-lifesize doorminder mascot George.

“We used to have to dispose of the beef, pork and lamb bones, so we thought ‘why not bag them, give them away and ask for charity donations,” he explained, as his Labrador Roxie helped make the handover. He also raises charity cash by giving talks to local organisations such as Rotary and the WI.

Big C community fundraiser Diane Northway said it was the first big donation to the shop which had been warmly welcomed. The aim was to add support services in 2014 but there was a need to start fundraising now. The shop was also seeking more volunteers. Call 01263 516989.