Heart warming story from Aussie ‘brickie’ Phil

A Fort William man has been warming to a lockdown hobby which is now benefitting the the area’s foodbank, writes Fiona Scott.

During lockdown Australian-born Phil Thurlow made 100 paper bricks which Petstop/Gardenstop Fort William have now kindly agreed to retail at £1 each with all proceeds going to the Fort William-based charity.

‘Like a lot of people at the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown, we turned to potentially useful home crafts and for me paper brick making seemed a simple and appropriate thing to do in my spare time,’ explained Phil.

‘The raw materials consist of cardboard and paper, which both come through the front door in the form of packaging and junk mail, and tapwater. The bricks are made with a simple hand press worth about £15 and are sun dried. They are a low smoke, low ash solid fuel.’

Phil’s wife Helen regularly donates to Lochaber Food Bank and the couple guessed that they would come under some pressure this coming winter, so decided to sell the bricks – 100 being a good round target number – for their benefit.

‘Linda at the Pet Stop and Garden Stop rose magnificently to the occasion and agreed to market the bricks, with all proceeds going to the Food Bank,’ added Phil.

‘I’ve managed to meet my 100 brick target, but doubt if I’ll be able to make any more, as there’s not much sunshine in Alma Road from October onwards.

‘I’ll maybe repeat the exercise next year.

‘We know that compared to the efforts of some in tackling coronavirus, it’s small (Foster’s) beer; a very minor contribution only towards a hopefully bonzer outcome!’

Phil and Helen were originally penfriends – he in sunny Queensland and she in Glasgow.

The Fort has been home to them for the last 28 years, and also to their children.