FEATURE: A WOOLLY IDEA TURNS INTO SUCCESS FOR HULA ANIMAL RESCUE
There are many ways you can support Hula Animal Sanctuary – by making a regular donation, by supporting their regular open days, by giving your time on site...but knitting? It's not the most obvious of ideas.
Nonetheless, the Aspley Guise animal rescue centre is quids in, thanks to supporter Frances Bell.
Frances already donates time to Hula as a volunteer dog walker, but now she has turned a woolly idea into a cash-builder for the centre too.
Needles began clicking and cute handcrafted knits began springing up at the skilled hand of Frances who set herself a target of raising £500 for the charity by Christmas.
Already, she has raised a marvellous £683 and still the orders keep on coming...a new target of £1000 has duly been set.
“I started knitting for this in May, and began selling in June,” Frances (below) tells Total MK, speaking to us while on holiday in Derbyshire.
You won't be surprised to learn that she packed her knitting needles for the vacation too!
“It's a labour of love,” she says, justifying the decision, “...and I had an order for a Santa and Mrs Claus which was worth £40 for the animals. It's my pleasure, I like knitting while I'm watching the TV...”
And on the motorway en route to her holiday destination.
Don't worry, Frances wasn't at the wheel - her supportive husband was in charge of the vehicle!
“I did knit on the way up in the car, yes, and I'll knit on the way back too,” she confesses.
“Christmas is the biggest money maker for the charity so we have to make the most of it.”
Most people would be content to pop some change into the collection tin and consider they've done their bit for charity, and that's perfectly fine.
But there is more to Frances' story.
“I owe Hula a huge debt,” she reveals, “When I approached Hula I was suffering with work related stress. I work in child protection and it's tough.
“I've worked in the industry for 14 years. I had no work-life balance and eventually spoke with a councillor who recommended me getting some other interests away from work.”
When Frances saw an advert for Hula, she decided to make contact. She had nothing to lose.
And by reaching out, she gained plenty: “I went to an open day at Hula and filled in a volunteer form, and the staff there were brilliant.
“They really picked me up well,” she recalled.
“I felt wanted and welcomed and got the joy back in life.
“Now, work is somewhere I go to do my job, and then I walk away. "Hula saved my sanity.
“It has made such a difference to me, and there is a message for others too – when I see people so stressed it reminds me of how I used to be, but not any more.”
Frances still finds time to dog walk at the centre: “I like the change in the dogs – when you start with them some are fearful and nervous, but within weeks they turn into different animals and come bouncing out of the kennels.
“That's the pay off.”
And when the dog leads are returned, Frances reconnects with those knitting needles. You might well want to deck the hall with boughs of holly, but how about decking your Christmas tree in knitted wares – choose from Santa and elves, clowns and soldiers and angels, or will you plump for the flying pig, a bunny rabbit or sweet little sheep?
There are so many great, unusual knits to choose from – although the treat stocking will be a firm favourite with the pooches of the household.
As demand for the items grows, Frances' fingers are working overtime to meet the demand and help the centre continue to do the very best for the animals in its care.
Her hobby turned passion does mean that some things are getting neglected in the Bell household though: “The house isn't being hoovered as much at the moment, and the garden is getting a bit overgrown!” she laughs, “But it's not forever.”
If anyone has any spare wool cluttering up cupboards, or languishing forgotten in old knitting baskets, please fish it out and donate it to the cause.
To place an order, or more information on how you can help visit Facebook and search for Hand Knitted for HULA.
For more information about the centre in general visit www.hularescue.org
You won't be surprised to learn that she packed her knitting needles for the vacation too!
“It's a labour of love,” she says, justifying the decision, “...and I had an order for a Santa and Mrs Claus which was worth £40 for the animals. It's my pleasure, I like knitting while I'm watching the TV...”
And on the motorway en route to her holiday destination.
Don't worry, Frances wasn't at the wheel - her supportive husband was in charge of the vehicle!
“I did knit on the way up in the car, yes, and I'll knit on the way back too,” she confesses.
“Christmas is the biggest money maker for the charity so we have to make the most of it.”
Most people would be content to pop some change into the collection tin and consider they've done their bit for charity, and that's perfectly fine.
But there is more to Frances' story.
“I owe Hula a huge debt,” she reveals, “When I approached Hula I was suffering with work related stress. I work in child protection and it's tough.
“I've worked in the industry for 14 years. I had no work-life balance and eventually spoke with a councillor who recommended me getting some other interests away from work.”
When Frances saw an advert for Hula, she decided to make contact. She had nothing to lose.
And by reaching out, she gained plenty: “I went to an open day at Hula and filled in a volunteer form, and the staff there were brilliant.
“They really picked me up well,” she recalled.
“I felt wanted and welcomed and got the joy back in life.
“Now, work is somewhere I go to do my job, and then I walk away. "Hula saved my sanity.
“It has made such a difference to me, and there is a message for others too – when I see people so stressed it reminds me of how I used to be, but not any more.”
Frances still finds time to dog walk at the centre: “I like the change in the dogs – when you start with them some are fearful and nervous, but within weeks they turn into different animals and come bouncing out of the kennels.
“That's the pay off.”
And when the dog leads are returned, Frances reconnects with those knitting needles. You might well want to deck the hall with boughs of holly, but how about decking your Christmas tree in knitted wares – choose from Santa and elves, clowns and soldiers and angels, or will you plump for the flying pig, a bunny rabbit or sweet little sheep?
There are so many great, unusual knits to choose from – although the treat stocking will be a firm favourite with the pooches of the household.
As demand for the items grows, Frances' fingers are working overtime to meet the demand and help the centre continue to do the very best for the animals in its care.
Her hobby turned passion does mean that some things are getting neglected in the Bell household though: “The house isn't being hoovered as much at the moment, and the garden is getting a bit overgrown!” she laughs, “But it's not forever.”
If anyone has any spare wool cluttering up cupboards, or languishing forgotten in old knitting baskets, please fish it out and donate it to the cause.
To place an order, or more information on how you can help visit Facebook and search for Hand Knitted for HULA.
For more information about the centre in general visit www.hularescue.org
