Easter Chick Knit

When post by the sack load starts to arrive at Francis House in the run up to Easter, everyone knows what is inside.

From across Greater Manchester and the globe, the word has spread among the knitting community, that Francis House needs their support for the Easter Knitted Chick appeal.

Last year the chick knit resulted in an incredible 40,000 crocheted and knitted chicks descending into the hospice.

Each woolly creation is filled with a small 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.”

This year’s appeal is on target to match the previous total of £50,000 raised in income.

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

Candy Crafts Club in Timperley, knitted a whopping 1,040 chicks, 200 more than last year, while a knitter in Western Australia sent 1,084.

Laure Chambers, 80, originally from Hulme, knits while watching football, cricket and athletics on TV at her home in Perth.

After travelling more than 9,000 miles in the post, Laure’s sisters-in-law Lillian Haughton and Jennifer Walker, both from Cheadle Hulme, finish off the chicks with stuffing, beaks, eyes and bows before taking them to Francis House.

The Girls' Divison of The Kings School in Macclesfield donating 1191 eggs to Francis House fundraiser Lucy Thompson

For every chick knitted a Cadbury creme sized egg is needed to fill it. Fashion retailer Boohoo donated 460 eggs from its Northern Quarter 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 1191.

Denton-based Francis Kirk Group, manufacturers of engineering and fastener products, loaned a driver and van to deliver two thousands chicks to be sold in six schools in Stockport.

Schools across Greater Manchester have pledged to sell the chicks to help raise funds.

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

“It takes time to send out knitting patterns, organise egg stuffing sessions and volunteer deliveries for thousands of chicks, but the results are always fantastic. We are really grateful to everyone who gets involved and on behalf of Francis House and the 1,200 families we support I would like to say a huge thank you,” said Rachel.