Copper for Cancer is a new initiative which aims to donate scrap metal in exchange for funding towards cancer patients.

Tommy Hughes, a plumber from Dooradoyle in Co. Limerick, was drawn to creating an innovative way of raising funds due to the deaths of loved ones as a result of cancer.

Tragically, Mr Hughes lost his wife to breast cancer two and a half years ago. His father also died from cancer 25 years ago.

Tommy’s wife used the Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nursing service, and was cared for in the family home by a Cancer Nurse at the end of her life.

It was only this year that Mr Hughes came up with the idea of asking plumbers to donate some of their old taps and mixers to raise funds to support the work of the Irish Cancer Society, to ensure other families affected by cancer have access to the same information, care and support that he and his family received.

Mr Hughes praised the work of the Irish Cancer Society and is calling on plumbers in Limerick and the wider Munster area to donate some scrap metal on a weekly/ monthly basis.

If the initiative is successful, he hopes to expand it throughout Munster and eventually nationwide.

All money raised from the sale of the items will go directly to funding the Irish Cancer Society’s supports for people with cancer.

Mr Hughes said:

“I saw first-hand the work of the Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nursing service and it was fantastic. The Irish Cancer Society’s services are fully reliant on donations from the public, so with the help of plumbers around the country I want to ensure others facing cancer have access to nursing care, information and support.

“There are 4,000 plumbers in Ireland, and I would say most of them have been touched by cancer in some way, so I am asking them to donate some of their scrap metals to help raise vital funds. If half of the plumbers in Ireland gave one basin tap per week it would amount to circa €120,000 per year. If a quarter of all plumbers gave one bath or sink mixer per week it would amount to around €270,000, and if a quarter gave one indirect cylinder per month it would raise circa €360,000. There’s potential there to raise a lot of funds for a great cause.”

Businessman Bobby Kerr, Chair of Insomnia coffee chain and Newstalk broadcaster, helped launch the initiative.

He said:

“If plumbers and contractors could donate just some of their scrap metal to Copper for Cancer they could make a huge difference to the lives of people affected by cancer. As someone who has experienced cancer myself, I know how difficult that experience can be. Money raised for the Irish Cancer Society through this initiative will help ensure no one has to face cancer alone.”

An alliance has been made between Tommy and United Metals, a scrap metal collection company, who have offered to collect any materials that local plumbers wish to donate for free, while Troy Packaging are supplying collection bags at cost price.

Tommy said he would also welcome donations of scrap metal from bigger contractors, factories, recycling centres etc, and Limerick University Hospital have already signed up.

Collection points will be based at various locations in Munster including: Heat Merchants in Limerick, Ennis, and Nenagh, McMahons Builders Providers, Dock Road, Limerick, Ger Malones, Garryowen, A & R Supplies, Pennywell Road, Heiton Buckleys Builders Providers, Ballysimon, T.P.Heating, Dock Road, Pat Nash, Mungret, Tadhg O’Connor  in Rathkeale and Newcastlewest and 20 Co Op Superstores around Munster.