Chick knitters have best year yet

Thursday 10th May 2012

More than 550 knitted chicks have helped a children's hospice to raise funds.

Francis House Children's Hospice raised £650 by selling the woolly creations, complete with a Cadbury's Creme Egg, in primary schools across the North West.

It is the highest amount the charity, in Didsbury, South Manchester, has raised since it started the Easter chicks project 12 years ago.

It was started by volunteer Jackie Hadfield, from Radcliffe, who saw the pattern at the same time that her husband Graham, then a headteacher, was raising awareness about the work of Francis House through school assemblies. The couple took the knitted chicks into the school to see if they would help raise funds.

Jackie said: "The chickens were proving so popular with the children that I was knitting hundreds. I needed help so I put out a call for people to either donate wool or get knitting. Among those who came to my rescue were ladies volunteering in the kitchen and on reception at Francis House."

The knitters also donated the eggs, but were helped by a donation of 200 eggs from Costco and Tesco.

To help with the chicken run for 2013 by donating wool, Cadbury creme eggs or knitting time call the fundraising office on 0161 4432200 or visit http://www.francishouse.org.uk.

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