Have you ever noticed that most of Stanmore’s hand-knitted postbox toppers are accompanied by a small laminated sign raising awareness for the homelessness charity Crisis?
STANMOREnews sat down with Lynne Jones, the founder of Stanmore Arts and Crafts, to find out why the group responsible for Stanmore’s woolly toppers have decided to fundraise for Crisis for the third winter in a row.
Lynne explained: “People sleeping on the streets suffer a lot of violence. When somebody ripped apart the snowman topper we made in time for Christmas, we were able to sew it back together. That isn’t always possible when real people sleeping rough suffer the same violence.”
Since then, says Lynne, two new toppers have been installed on Stanmore postboxes to “highlight the plight of the homeless”. One features a knitted figure sleeping outside with only two stuffed animals for company.
Lynne added: “It just makes you think; the toppers are out in all sorts of weather, getting cold and wet. Each of them is made from a bit of wool and stuffing – and there are some people out there who don’t even have that to keep them warm.
“I’ve found a great support network myself through the Arts and Crafts Club. Hopefully, Crisis can help people out there who have lost their support networks to build new ones, too.”
To donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stanmorexmastoppers
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