Hobbies & InterestsCollectingNorwich Union announce winners of Quirky Collections competition Norwich Union announce winners of Quirky Collections competition
23/04/2009
Last month Norwich Union launched a nationwide search for the UK’s Quirkiest Collectors. Five winners were chosen for their weird and wonderful collections; they received £500 and are featured in a documentary about collecting.
Winner Number 1, Margaret Archer – Banana labels
Margaret Archer began her collection five years ago when she saw a Winnie–the–Pooh banana label. Now the 67–year–old from Bournemouth has almost 4000 different varieties and trades with other banana label collectors from across the world. She has even dovoted a website to her collection www.margaretsbananas.co.uk.
Margaret said, "I am so excited. I haven’t won anything since I was a young girl. This really is special, as the prize money will go towards a trip to Munich in December to meet all the collectors I have been trading online with over the last five years."
Winner Number 2, Mary Halstead – Frogs
Mary Halstead, 64, from St.Helens near Liverpool, is hoppy about frogs and you only have to look at her home to see exactly what she means. Green amphibians, of all shapes and sizes, have hopped into her house and now feature in every single room! She has 3000 plus from as far afield as Cuba and Australia.
Winner Number 3, Christine Edwards – Salt and pepper pots
Christine Edwards, 65, from Burnley, has over 2000 novelty salt and pepper pots. She says it’s a good job her collection is made up of small pieces as the cruets rule the roost! The collection ranges from the novelty – Betty Boop, ocean liners and toilets! – to themes from fairy tales to farms and Noah’s Ark.
Winner Number 4, Dennis Maskery – Cowboy memorabilia
Cowboys aren’t just a collection for 58 year old Dennis Maskery, from Mansfield, it is more a way of life – he even has the outfits!
As a teenager, afternoons spent watching Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy matinees instilled a life–long love of all things Western. He collects shirts from across the UK and has sourced pieces from the original Roy Rogers’ museum in Missouri.
Winner Number 5, Robin Sharp – Baked bean labels
Over–zealous shopping is the reason for Robin Sharp’s collection of baked bean labels. The 55–year–old dad, from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, has collected them for fun for 25 years, but now has 350 different labels from over 100 baked bean producers worldwide, including some old favourites from Bejam and Woolworths.
The winner's documentarys can be viewed by following the link below.