THINGS have changed considerably since this picture was taken in August, 1969.

In the 1960s, newspapers were used, once read, for lighting coal fires and wrapping fish and chips.

If they did not have a use, they were thrown into the dustbin — and they were steel affairs not the huge wheelie bins we have today.

Today we recycle newspaper just as we recycle so many things.

But Mrs Valerie Marshall, seen here on the left, was so concerned about raising money for cancer research that she collected newspapers for a pulp-making firm and money raised from this would go to help charity.

She had a whip round asking friends and neighbours for old papers and undertook the job of personally sorting the lot.

With 300 pamphlets printed and delivered and the family’s Regent Road garage open to all-comers, she was in business for cancer research.

In six weeks, she was able to raise her first £36.

Mrs Marshall was concerned that many people were donating money for numerous charities and would not feel able to donate more.

When her young God child died of cancer she was determined to do her bit to help fight the disease but she did not want to ask people to donate cash.

That is when she hit on the bright idea of asking people for their own newspapers which could then be converted into cash for charity.

Since the 60s, things have moved on in so many ways.

Most people no longer have a coal fire that would need paper to help light it and fish and chip shops are not able to use newspaper to wrap the food.

Newspapers can be recycled and most families choose to do this so there is very little scope for raising money for charity in this way.

Mrs Marshall was clearly a very resourceful woman.