Verona Strauss.comjust because life is fun! …

Ring Pull Handbag

Recently I heard about a charity called the Philippine Community Fund. They make lovely things out of ring pulls, magazines, crisp packets and juice cartons such as purses, jewellery, aprons, lunchboxes and bags.

It’s really fantastic.

The pictures are of some of my favourite items.

The reason they make these pretty things is to help children living on a rubbish dump who are very poor and have no money. They sell them and all the money is used to send the children to school.

I was really excited about it and sent a letter to Ange who runs the office in the UK with a £5 as a donation. She emailed and said she would pick out a girl of the same age as me to sponsor. I can write letters and send money and gifts and the girl can write to me too.

handbag made from crisp packets

purse made from juice cartons

Me with Phil who did all the filming for Newsround

Last week I wrote an article for First News children’s newspaper and today I did some filming today for Newsround. Tonight there is a story about me and the recycling I do on the website and I’m on the TV too. You can see it too.

I spent all morning with Phil who was really nice and asked me all about the recycling I do. Then I spoke on the phone to Harriet who wrote the article about me. If you want to recycle crisp bags or toothpaste tubes like I talked about on Newsround, you can send your empty packs to the Philippine Community Fund in Southampton.

Instead of the things going into our landfill, they get sent to the Philippines where the ladies make them into purses and bags. Then the children of the women can go to school to be educated instead of having to live on rubbish dumps.

Today I’ve been to a website called ‘Cats protection league‘ and read that I might be able to join a branch and go and help out. I found out about the website because yesterday we went to a Cats protection league charity last week to donate some things.

I have decided to start drawing good pictures of cats, turning them into cards, selling them and then giving the money to the Cats Protection league for the cats.

I wrote about a cat called Ginger Mellow.

“Oh Hello I’m Ginger mellow, famous for my big tail.

I’m so proud of it! I’m the colour of my name and my nose is spotty.

My favourite food is fish which I catch myself and my favourite friend is Lemon.

I must be off, I smell mice in the air - Bye!”