A NEW postbox-topping crochet creation has been unveiled in Downend, days after a stolen one was found dumped.
Downend WI’s knitting group unveiled the Valentine’s Day-themed decoration, with wool and felt hearts and roses, to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West.
It has been fixed to the post box in the high street with a QR code linking to a JustGiving page where people can make donations.
The topper was designed by WI member Vanessa Martin, who also made the large red heart on top, while fellow members Carol Davies, Kathy Paramore and Suzzie Belcher made the banner, pink hearts and base respectively, and other WI members made the felt hearts, adding them at the WI’s recent tenth birthday event.
Suzzie said: “It’s very apt that this topper is filled with love, especially for the children at the hospice.
“We are hoping that our Downend community will get behind this worthy cause, show their love, and help raise some well deserved funds for this charity.”
The fundraising page can be found at tinyurl.com/5n9ynrkp.
A week earlier a snowman-themed topper which had been stolen from the postbox before Christmas was found by workers at Mangotsfield Cemetery, next to Downend School.
The topper had been made by the Knit and Natter group at high street shop Fabrics Plus, and was taken there by the workers on January 31.
Shop owner Robin Honeywill said: “Thank you to the local cemetery workers who found our stolen post box topper and returned it. Although grubby, it is in one piece.”
The topper was given a clean-up and put on display in the shop window, along with a fundraising QR code for charity Raeyah’s Hands of Support.
The charity was set up by the family of Emersons Green girl Raeyah Evans-Rice, who was just four years old when she died in March last year, from a rare form of cancer.
It provides practical and financial support for families with children undergoing cancer treatment at Bristol Children’s Hospital, especially those with an autism diagnosis.
The knitters had created the display to raise money for Raeyah’s Hands of Support.
Raeyah’s mum Becky Evans said: “We’re really pleased it has been found and has been placed in the window for the public to enjoy, as they did before it was stolen.”