Knitter fills late husband’s empty armchair with feathered friends

Organisers of Worcester’s summer penguin parade were moved to tears after finding a touching note inside a bag of donated knitted penguins.

The great Waddle of Worcester has been encouraging local residents to handcraft penguins and penguin themed items for its pop-up shop in Worcester. As the team sorted through a delivery of lovingly made feathered friends they were in for a lovely surprise.

Sara Matthews, Business Development Manager for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “We’ve been blown away by the community’s kindness in knitting penguins and always look for the maker’s details so we can send a proper thank you.

“Except this particular bag contained a thank you note to us for giving the maker an ‘unexpected gift’ of focus and distraction during the first lonely months without their husband.

“The author paid tribute to the care her husband had received from St Richard’s and for ensuring he had precious extra time with his family.”

Moved by the beautiful note, the Waddle of Worcester team recently met letter writer Sue Hencher out on the penguin trail with goody bags for her grandchildren.

Sue Hencher, from Worcester, said: “My husband, Vaughan, really enjoyed taking our grandchildren around the elephant and giraffe trails and was very much hoping to be here to see the penguins.  It was Vaughan’s idea that I knit penguins over the winter months to help the hospice.

“When I lost him more suddenly than expected in September it took me a while to start knitting, but it soon became so much more to me.  I started putting them into his empty armchair and when I was asked by my granddaughter if I was going to fill his chair with penguins I readily accepted the challenge.

“In fact, I have gone much further than that and created 100 penguins but I am keeping a few in his chair as it would look so empty without them.”

Mrs Hencher’s penguins are some of 1,500 donated to St Richard’s by kind knitters and stitchers and the hospice is still welcoming donations.

Ms Matthews continued: “Each penguin is so lovingly made and they’re hugely popular with trail goers.  We’d welcome donations right up until the trail ends on 15 September as we know they’ll still be popular at our Farewell Events in October.”

Finished penguins can be dropped to the Waddle of Worcester shop at 14 Chapel Walk, Crowngate Shopping Centre, every day between 10am and 4pm until 15 September. Alternatively, penguins can be posted or dropped to: Sara Matthews, Fundraising Department, St Richard’s Hospice, Wildwood Drive, Worcester, WR5 2QT. The hospice is asking senders to include their contact details inside the packaging so each maker can be thanked.

The parade of penguin sculptures remains in Worcester until Sunday 15 September.  A spectacular showcase of 80 penguins – large and small – is gracing city streets and open spaces to form a free, open air trail.

Once the trail has ended, there will be a final chance to see all of the sculptures together before the large penguins, and one special baby, are auctioned to raise money for St Richard’s Hospice.

The great Waddle of Worcester is supported by Presenting Partners; Crowngate, DRPG, Worcester City Council and Worcestershire Ambassadors, Community and Education Partner; Worcester BID and Media Partners; the Worcester News and BBC Hereford & Worcester.

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