Knitters bring chirpy cheer to children’s hospice

Francis House Children’s Hospice in Didsbury, Manchester is on target to beat the 40,000 knitted chicks it received last year for its Easter Knitted Chick appeal.

Last year, the chick knit raised £50,000 for the hospice that provides a home from home environment to the families of children and young adults with life-limiting conditions.

Sacks of the chicks have been arriving in the run up to Easter from across Greater Manchester and the globe – each woolly creation is filled with a small Cadbury creme egg sized chocolate egg, donated in their tens of thousands by schools, supermarkets and local businesses, and the cute chicks are sold across the north west region for £1.

Rachel Astill, fundraising officer at Francis House said: “From its beginnings as a chick knit by our hospice volunteers, and through the hard work of our supporters and the wider knitting community, the Francis House Easter Chick Knit has become a much-loved annual appeal with a fantastic feel-good factor.

“Every single chick knitted and every egg donated, really makes a big difference to us.”

More than 740 knitters have taken part, including groups of knitters and crafters.

Candy Crafts Club in Timperley, Cheshire knitted a whopping 1,040 chicks, while a knitter in Western Australia sent 1,084.

Laure Chambers, 80, originally from Hulme, sent the chicks 9,000 miles from her home in Perth.

Laure’s sisters-in-law Lillian Haughton and Jennifer Walker, from Cheadle Hulme, finished off the chicks with stuffing, beaks, eyes and bows before taking them to Francis House.

Women’s Institutes from Romiley, Cale Green and Woodford rallied their support by knitting and selling chicks.

Fashion retailer Boohoo donated 460 eggs from its Manchester office; Co-op Heaton Moor Road donated 692; Stockport’s Allied Bakeries dropped off 600; Town Barber Too in Oldham collected 901 and the Girls’ Division of The King’s School in Macclesfield donated 1,191.

Schools, businesses and shops have pledged to sell the chicks, including Woodheys Primary School, Sale who have taken 1000 to sell.

David Ireland, chief executive of Francis House said: “On behalf of Francis House and the 1,200 people we support I would like express our grateful thanks to everyone who has supported our annual Easter chick appeal.”

The money raised will help towards the long term running costs of the hospice, currently at more than £12,900 a day.

Anyone wanting to find out more about Francis House, there is a public open day at the hospice on Monday April 23.  For more information call 0161 443 2200.

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