A GROUP of Downend crafters were inspired to help a charity after air ambulances saved the lives of one of their members and her husband.
Downend Yarn Busters have created an emergency rescue in wool to raise money for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.
Eight members of the group spent two months knitting and crocheting two helicopters, paramedics and a group of soldiers on exercise for the colourful postbox topper outside Downend post office.
Suzzie Belcher, who designed the topper, said fellow group member Jane Johnson and her husband had both needed emergency treatment from two air ambulances after an accident on a country road earlier this year.
Suzzie said: “The air ambulance reached and started treating them within 15 minutes. If they hadn’t had the helicopters, they wouldn’t have survived.
“We wanted to give something back in recognition of what they did for Jane and her husband.”
Some of the crafters went to the Great Western Air Ambulance base at Almondsbury, where they learned more about how the service operates, what its medics can do and the equipment they carry.
They then set about recreating how it would respond to an incident, creating a moorland scene which even included some sheep.
The group plans to go back to learn about resuscitation and CPR in the future.
The postbox topper was unveiled at the beginning of September in time for the national Air Ambulance Week of fundraising and was due to stay on display until the end of the month.
It includes a QR code for people impressed by the scene and the story behind it to make a donation via mobile phone.
Nearby shops were also accepting donations, and they can be made online at tinyurl.com/fumnnu8x.
GWAAC supporter engagement assistant Jane Wheeler came to the unveiling of the topper and says colleagues she showed pictures to were impressed with the accuracy of the knitters in recreating the scene.
She said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful Downend Yarn Busters who have been using their time and skills to brighten up the streets of Downend with their lovely postbox topper showing Great Western Air Ambulance Charity in action.
“The crafty creations are such fun and it’s the support of community groups like these that helps raise awareness of our lifesaving work in the area.