About Shakin' Buckets

Shakin’ Buckets was born from a challenge that I, Russ Wintle, set myself in September 2024, which was to raise £60,000 in 60 weeks before I turn 60. I assigned this challenge the tag #60by60.

The idea was to raise £10,000 for each of 6 different charities—MIND, Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, British Liver Trust, Alzheimer's Society, and SANDS—by whatever means I could.

Since all proceeds from the songs would be going to charity, and people could donate more than the designated £2 per track, I came up with the name Shakin’ Buckets – a combination of the rock and roll era I was born into and the idea of rattling collection pots/buckets for donations.

Through hard work, determination and a lot of support from all sorts of people, both from a time and effort as well as monetary perspective, I surpassed my goal! A HUGE thank you to the over 600 people from a dozen countries who were involved or donated!

Learn about, listen to, and buy my songs from Bandcamp.

Visit Bandcamp

On this site you can find information, see photographs and videos of some of the events/activities I undertook in those 60 weeks, and listen to radio interviews about what I was up to.

However, I don’t want Shakin’ Buckets to be confined to the great charity box in the sky so from time to time you might find information about new events and challenges popping up here to raise even more money for great causes!

If you'd like to know more about what I am currently up to, or can help spread the word about an upcoming event, please...

contact me

Russ in the News

Below you will find interviews and features in the media. Click on each one to expand or collapse the section.

• Bolton FM Radio Interview – 9^th December, 2025

  60 by 60 Interview with Russ on Bolton FM Radio

• Northwich and Winford Guardian – 3^rd July, 2025

  Northwich man faces fears in high-flying fundraiser for friend

  A NORTHWICH man with a fear of heights has taken on a series of high-flying challenges in memory of a friend. Read more...

• Radio Merseyside Interview with Kevin Duala – 17^th February, 2025

  60 by 60 Interview with Kevin Duala on Radio Merseyside

Current and Past Fundraising Events

Below you will find a bit of info about my fundraising events. Click on each one to expand or collapse the section.

• 21st and 29th November 2025 - Fearless for Forget-Me-Nots

  Empowerment Experience Day: "Fearless for Forget-Me-Nots"

  21st and 29th November 2025—York and Llangollen

  In aid of the Alzheimer's Society

  view gallery

  Facing more fears in aid of another great charity I broke an arrow with the soft part of my throat and did fire-walking at an event in York on 21st November 2025 and then navigated the Horseshoe Falls, The Serpants Tail and Tomb Stones on the River Dee near Llangollen, North Wales in an inflatable raft.

  The latter event was done with a colleague at the time, Rebecca Blackwell.

  Read our story on

  Our JustGiving Page

• 23 October 2025 - Of Loss, Love and Hope

  Of Loss, Love and Hope

  23rd October 2025

  view gallery

  In aid of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)

  Of Loss, Love and Hope was a candlelight concert at Chester Cathedral in aid of the Stillbirth And Neonatal Death Society (SANDS), a charity supporting bereaved families following baby and pregnancy loss.

  The event, sponsored by specialty chemicals company Innospec Limited at Ellesmere Port, featured both classical and contemporary tunes/songs performed by:

  The Northern String Quartet
  and
  Cottontown Chorus

  The Northern String Quartet, highly acclaimed and recognised for its versatility and musical excellence, performing on platforms such as BBC2, ITV1 and Netflix, the quartet celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025. Their recordings for BBC Radio established them as a leading force in the classical music scene.

  Cottontown Chorus is a multi-award winning acapella group. Having won 24 awards since 2000, 2 of those in 2025, they are one of the UK's best kept secrets. Their tight harmonies, established through hours of practice, provide an audible feast!

  Their performances were compered by Joy Winkler, a former Cheshire Poet Laureate and author of several poetry collections, a novel called 'Morgan' and an acclaimed piece of theatre called 'Lightening under their Skirts', amongst other works.

  

  There were two halves to the evening of about 1 hour each, with both acts performing a variety of contemporary and traditional songs.

• 20 September 2025 - Music & Memories

  Music & Memories 20th September 2025...

  view gallery

  In aid of Alzheimers Society

  This was a chance for people in my local community to get together with friends and loved ones to enjoy reflecting and reminiscing over a wonderful homemade afternoon tea, with or without Prosecco, whilst the incredible 18-piece Fish Lip Soup Big Band, played songs from the 40s, 50s and 60s.

  
• July 2025 - Summer Sounds Sensation

  Summer Sounds Sensation 19th July 2025...

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  A sensation of summer sounds awaited people at the Bolton Parish Church on Silverwell Street, Bolton, in aid of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

  Arriving from 6.45pm Saturday 19th July, to the wonderfully evocative sound of members of the Bolton Caledonia Pipe Band who played a collection of their typical parade and event tunes.

  From 7.15pm the audience were treated to outstanding performances from Bolton Cancer Voices and the award winning Cottontown Chorus.

  These two groups brought contrasting styles of well-known classics and popular music, reinvented for a collection of voices — a positive feast for the eyes and ears!

  
• June 2025 - Moggy Memories - The Adventures of Flora, Vol. 1 (AKA - Wrecking Russ)

  From Sunday 1st June to Wednesday 4th June 2025...

  I travelled round 4 counties in the north of England in my 59-year-old Morris Traveller, Flora, in memory of a school friend of mine who passed away on 1st June 2023 from liver cancer, that went undiagnosed for too long, just 3 days from his 57th birthday.

  view gallery

  I visited places that mean something to me, the various reasons for which were only clear to people who followed my updates at the time on LinkedIn and Facebook:

  Bolton, Lancashire
  Rivington, Lancashire
  Ingleton, Yorkshire
  Threshfield, Yorkshire
  Ilkley, Yorkshire
  Skipton, Yorkshire
  Haworth, Yorkshire
  

  Leigh, Lancashire
  Ince-in-Makerfield, Lancashire
  Vauxhall, Cheshire
  Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
  Rushup Edge, Derbyshire
  

  The first letters of these places spelled out the first 2 words of the charity I was raising money for.

  On our road trip, my co-pilot and friend John and I, organised a daily challenge for me to help me overcome my morbid fear of heights and pay homage to my fearless school friend. This trip was therefore nicknamed ‘Wrecking Russ’!

  • Day 1 – Go Ape Tree Top Trail
  • Day 2 – Abseiling
  • Day 3 – Climbing
  • Day 4 – Indoor Skydiving (hang-gliding was cancelled due to bad weather!)

  With all these challenges, I put my Trust in other people and equipment, whilst finishing off the charity’s name.

  Having led a sedentary life for the best part of 25 years, and with a number of muscle/joint related ailments, these challenges were not easy, less so with my anxiety of heights.

• May 2025 - Gala Night

  Gala Night 8th May 2025...

  May 8th was a Gala Night in aid of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

  It was a dinner-dance with a live auction, silent auction and raffle held at The Village Hotel in Bromborough.

  Check out more photos in my Gallery Page.

  

Charities I'm Supporting

Below you will find a bit of info about each charity, why I chose that charity and a link to their site. Click on each one to expand or collapse the section.

• Alzheimer's Society

  Alzheimer's Society

  "At Alzheimer’s Society we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives. We do this by giving help to those living with dementia today, and providing hope for the future."

  I chose this charity because...

  I have seen what dementia can do to people and to their loved ones. It’s a truly awful disease that takes away the person that you knew and loved, locking them away in another world, for the most part, that nobody really understands.

  It creates a range of emotions in both the sufferer and those around them – frustration; anger; fear; guilt; sadness; hurt and more.

  A slow and silent killer, this disease creeps up on people and, when diagnosed, it is often too late to do very much about it.

  Alzheimer’s Society does a lot to support people with dementia and those around them, as well as currently funding over £53 million of world leading dementia research to understand the causes of dementia, advance diagnosis, improve care, and search for a cure.

  With 1 in 3 people born in the UK today expected to be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime, that research is of vital importance and raising money to support it is something I feel strongly about.

  You can find out more about this charity here.

• British Liver Trust

  British Liver Trust

  "We are the British Liver Trust, the UK’s leading liver health charity working to improve liver health for all and supporting those affected by liver disease or cancer."

  I chose this charity because...

  Two years ago on 1st June 2023, a good friend of mine passed away due to liver cancer, 3 days before his 57th birthday, 4th June 2023.

  We had many road trips together, often in his vintage land rover.

  A fearless individual, he never shied away from confrontation or challenging situations and for a number of years spent his spare time hang gliding.

  To mark the second anniversary of his death, and what would have been his 59th birthday, I will be taking my 59 year old Morris Traveller, Flora, on a road trip, starting 1st and finishing on 4th, June.

  The route is an "in memory of" tour of places memorable to me, the first letter of each one eventually spelling out the words British Liver.

  You can find out more about this charity here.

• Cancer Research UK

  Cancer Research UK

  "Cancer is relentless. But so are we. Whether you fundraise, pledge to leave a gift in your will or donate. Every part supports life-saving research. Play your part and together we will beat cancer."

  I chose this charity because...

  A number of my close friends, family and colleagues have been/are being impacted by cancer in one form or another.

  With so many different types of cancer, it is inevitable we will all have our lives impacted by it in some way. Reputedly, one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage of their life.

  Cancer Research UK is the only cancer charity that funds research into all types of cancer and has been doing so for the last 120 years. Helping to fund that research is something I wanted to get behind.

  You can find out more about this charity here

• Macmillan Cancer Support

  Macmillan Cancer Support

  "We're doing whatever it takes to help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are."

  I chose this charity because...

  Macmillan Cancer Support help individuals and their loved ones come to terms with a cancer diagnosis, supporting them all whether it be physically, emotionally or financially.

  At Macmillan, they will do whatever it takes to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can, constantly searching to find better ways to help even more people who need their support.

  Some of my family members and friends have benefited from the wonderful support that Macmillan’s provide either in the home or in their locally based hospices and I really wanted to be able to give them something back to help them continue with their invaluable help to cancer sufferers and their families.

  You can find out more about this charity here.

• MIND

  MIND

  "Even though 1 in 4 people have mental health problems, most of us don’t get the help we need. This has to change. We’re Mind. We’re here to fight for mental health. For support, for respect, for you."

  I chose this charity because...

  In 2020 I challenged myself to review all the poems I had written during lockdown along with all the photographs I’d taken, and put them in some semblance of order, making them print ready in 26 days to create a short book – My first Mental Mindful Marathon!

  With the help of Inna Sklarska's graphic design skills, a host of fantastic donors and my company's match funding, I raised over £6200 for the Mental Health Charity, MIND.

  Back then, the rate of overdoses and relapses had increased by 30% during lockdown.

  Each year one in four of us experiences a mental health problem. For some, that can lead to substance abuse, self-harm or even suicide.

  MIND provides much needed support for people suffering from mental health problems through nationally available helplines, online information and support communities.

  Four years on from my first Mental Mindful Marathon, I attempted something more challenging: To produce a similar book, but this time containing song lyrics I had written during my lifetime that have mostly been long forgotten and hidden away in a box.

  Processing thoughts, feelings, experiences - good or bad - through writing about them can be very therapeutic and bring some clarity of mind.

  The box held handwritten notes, ideas, poems and lyrics, along with a number of old-fashioned Dictaphone cassettes, floppy disks and CDs – dating back over almost 4 decades!

  The challenge was to find the complete ones, maybe finish some unfinished ones, organise around 60 of them into appropriate sections, commenting on some of them around the subject or event/s that inspired them and finally getting it all print ready.

  Once completed and in a publishable format, the aim was to get them printed and bound into a booklet, reflecting thoughts, feelings and events of the world around me over the last 40 years!

  Whilst I have this coping mechanism, it isn’t for everyone and MIND supports people in their own difficult times, bringing them some of their own peace of mind through their online peer support community; an Infoline; campaigning for better mental health services; providing a Legal Advisor to support those needing such advice.

  Helping MIND continue their vital work in our communities was something I wanted to support due to the increasing prevalence of mental health issues.

  You can find out more about this charity here.

• SANDS

  SANDS

  Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death support) is the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity.

  I chose this charity because...

  SANDS is not as well known as some other national charities and deals with a topic that is not one easily discussed.

  It is said that currently, in 2025, 13 babies die every day in the UK. The number of maternity units and hospital trusts being investigated for inadequate care of mothers and babies, has recently appeared to increase, with more and more families and individuals coming forward to report problems.

  These are extremely sensitive issues, and it is generally very difficult for people to know what to say to those who lose a child either during pregnancy or neonatally.

  Sands offer support to people who have experienced baby loss; campaign for better healthcare for mothers and babies and are also involved in research into baby deaths which accounted for just a small part of reproductive health and childbirth research in 2022, receiving only 2.4% of funding for health research in the UK.

  I wanted to contribute to the work that Sands are doing in the UK in whatever way I could – keeping a family safe and well in today’s world is an increasingly difficult task, but having that family in the first place can be extremely challenging and, at times, devastating – times that no one should have to go through alone and with Sands there to support, no one has to.

  You can find out more about this charity here.