The Felix Fund

At Christine's we meet all sorts of people. Currently the new intake of students for the Art Foundation course are visiting us weekly for materials for textile projects. This morning a young lady asked for knitting needles with holes in! And last week one of the young men was (temporarily) yarnbombing the lamp post outside the college. He'd finger-knitted the fabric and was happy to discuss his project and how he hoped to improve it.

One of our regular customers is Anne Linley. Her son Brett was a mine disposal expert. Yes, was. He was killed making a mine safe in Afghanistan. At first Ann raised money for Help for Heroes, but now she has decided to concentrate on the Felix Fund.

The Felix Fund provides the money for proper aftercare for mine disposal specialists. It's not really possible to imagine what it must be like to be searching for and disposing of mines for hours and weeks on end. The strain must be intolerable. When they finish a tour of duty they need time to decompress; the government funds minimal time, so the Felix Fund steps in to try and save these young men from Post-traumatic stress.

Last year Ann crocheted and sold poppies to raise money for the fund and was amazed at the interest. So this year at Christine's we have a box which we are keeping filled with poppies. Another customer, Avril, has made a lot. Julie also makes the basic poppy, and Caroline does the really important work of putting them together and making their leaves and centres.

So far we have raised £250; Caroline's target is £500.

We are planning a poppy yarn bomb for the tree outside the shop to advertise  for those who don't visit us for wool. This green thing is the bandage to go round the tree:

To it we plan on sewing poppies - our last yarn bomb was stolen, so we're taking no chances. And if time allows, I have a frame for a small wreath.

I've watched Ann pull her life back together after the death of her son. She is a hero too.