'Dedicated' Karen Nash in bid for Community Pride award

Karen Nash, who organises the Foil for Snappy scheme, has been nominated for the Charity Fundraiser of the Year prize in this year's awards.

Karen started Foil for Snappy as a way to fundraise and raise awareness for The Snappy Trust, who support her disabled son, Peter.

Karen said she set up the initiative as "people can’t always afford to give money to charity, but they are happy to pass on their rubbish."

Over the years Foil for Snappy has evolved to become a city-wide recycling service for the people of York collecting aluminium foil, drinks cans and household cables to raise money.

To date Karen and her handful of helpers have collected, processed and sold on more than 25 tonnes of metal recycling - which has raised over £14,000 for The Snappy Trust.

Karen Nash. Picture: Frank Dwyer (Image: Frank Dwyer)

The recycling scheme has also generated publicity that has resulted in further fundraising activities from community groups who wouldn’t have heard about The Snappy Trust otherwise.

Karen has carried out all the recycling work, which now takes up two to three days a week, totally voluntarily. On the side she makes mosaic creations from bottle caps collected from the recycling, which have raised an extra few hundred pounds as well as becoming a talking point on social media.

She has also given community talks and school assemblies and works with youth groups, like the Brownies, to promote recycling and disability awareness with all donations for her time going directly to The Snappy Trust.

"Karen may not have raised the most amount of money, but her dedication over the years deserves to be recognised," said her husband Ollie Nash, who nominated her for the award.

Karen has now been invited to an awards ceremony in York later this month.

The categories in this year’s awards include Volunteer of the Year, Charity Fundraiser, Child of the Year, Sporting Hero, Best Community Project, Health Service Hero, Mental Health Award, Spirit of Youth, YCP Person of the Year, Carer of the Year and Public Sector Hero.

Nigel Burton, editor of The Press, said: “There is an astonishing number of people working behind the scenes across the York area to make life easier for others less fortunate than themselves.

“They do so selflessly, without any thought of thanks or reward, no matter how much they deserve it.

“These volunteers should have their moment in the spotlight so that others can be inspired by their efforts and join them in helping to provide the glue that holds our community together.

“We hope to be able to tell many of their inspirational stories.”