The sewing skills taught to Jenny Pitcock as a child by her late mother still serve her well in retirement.
Her latest venture as a volunteer is making handmade goods from old advertising banners for East Cheshire Hospice.
Jenny has created bags, purses, glasses cases and a hat from PVC once used to promote the charity’s events.
Hospice fundraiser Claire Gorton (left) with volunteer Jenny Pitcock and recycled goods.
Items are sold on stalls raising funds for the Hospice.
Jenny, from Macclesfield, can sing and sew. She is treasurer of Claritas, a renowned choir which supports the Hospice.
She is also a costume maker for Mads Theatre, so can quite literally make a drama out of her handiwork.
Jenny said: “I started recycling the banners about a year ago and work out how to use a pattern to make an interesting item.
“I cut them out and create whatever takes my fancy. It’s fun. I just sit there and use up things that would otherwise be thrown away.
“Sewing comes naturally. I’ve sewn since I was a kid. My mum, Irene, taught me and I made my own clothes when I was younger.
“Mum was born in 1922 so came from a generation that went through the war. She had two young children during rationing so had to make do and mend.
“Mum was a nurse and turned her uniform into clothing for her kids. There was no fabric so this idea of using whatever is to hand comes from there.”
Jenny, a retired software engineer, made masks for the Hospice during Covid.
“I created at work and do the same now. People think of software as boring, but you have a problem and try to solve it.
“Recycling banners is similar – you have a problem and solve it.”
Jenny had reused banners for Mads, so the Hospice asked her to do the same for them.
She said: “For a modern play there might not be much costume work, but for a recent production of Macbeth we had to make different stages of clothes showing dry blood.
“That’s what happens when you retire early. You find things to do with your time.”
Claire Gorton, Community and Events Fundraiser at the Hospice, said: “We try to use banners which don’t date, but Jenny gave us the idea of recycling those that do and it helps with our goals for sustainability.”