Knit chicks a real coop for hospice

CREME OF THE CROP: Kirkwood Hospices Lyndsey Richardson (far left) and trustee Kath Hinchliffe with Batley and Birstall Support Group Members and the staff at Huddersfield Tesco.

Kirkwood’s Batley and Birstall Support Group has knitted hundreds of Easter chicks, while the Tesco store in Huddersfield, Cadbury and other local supermarkets have donated more than 4,700 Creme Eggs for the Easter Chicken Campaign.

Through a team of talented knitters, thousands of gorgeous Easter chicks are hand-made each year and each one filled with a Cadbury’s Creme Egg.

The chicks are then sold for £1.50 each with all profits going towards the hospice.

The Easter campaign, which originated 24 years ago with support group member Mildred Barrett, has so far raised around £50,000 for the cause.

Support group member Barbara Hodgkinson, who runs a large team of 50 knitters, said: “It’s a real team effort. Some knitters specialise in hats, some in bodies, some sewing them all together, and other people even donate the wool to us.

“We want to make special thanks to Mary Heckworth, also known as “Chicken Mary”, who is one of our champion knitters and has knitted thousands of chicks over the years for us.”

Edith Davison, secretary of Batley and Birstall Support Group and chick knitter for 17 years, is keen to thank all of their supporters for the continued enthusiasm.

She said: “Thank you to all the Tesco customers who donated eggs in the Easter basket, thank you to all our knitters who we simply couldn’t do it without and a special thank you to Jen Donald, Huddersfield Tesco Store Manager.

“Jen is the real star. I asked her if Tesco would be able to donate some Creme Eggs and she rang back saying she’d managed to get 4,700 eggs. When I told everyone at the meeting, they were amazed.”