CR5 Issue 175 January 2020

Crafty Knit-Wits Santa helping to raise funds for two deserving causes
A local knitting group, known as ‘The Crafty Knit-
Wits’ recently created a magnificent Santa Claus
to encourage pub-goers to make donations to two
very deserving charities.
The life-sized figure in The Jack and Jill public house
on the Mount in Coulsdon is inviting drinkers to put
the cost of a pint, or a glass of wine into his knitted
pint of Guinness which covers a charity collecting
pot.
The Coulsdon Crafty Knit-Wits ladies who meet each
Wednesday afternoon at The Jack and Jill were
challenged to knit a life-sized figure in return for a
£100 donation to a charity. This amount was
immediately matched by the publican of The Jack
and Jill.
Linda Rickford, who formed the friendly knitting
group said:
“This challenge was viewed initially as a joke, but
when we realised we already had the potential to
raise at least £200, how could we turn it down?
Amid gales of laughter and lots of hilarity, we got our
knitting needles and crochet hooks busy and Santa
was born!
Our special thanks go to The Art and Craft Valley Shop
in Coulsdon, who sponsored the red wool and Tomas,
our friendly publican, who allows us to meet each
week in the pub.
The money raised will go to two charities dear to our
hearts – The Ryan Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in
Coulsdon and Astro Brain Tumour Fund.”
Linda Rickford is a trustee of Astro Brain Tumour
Fund, having become involved with the charity after
her then 28-year-old son, David, was diagnosed with
an ependymoma, a rare type of low-grade brain tumour.
Astro Brain Tumour Fund, a Member Charity
of Brain Tumour Research, is the only UK charity
exclusively focused on raising funds for
The Knit-Wits with Tom Brake MP
research into these potentially dangerous lowgrade
tumours, which recently have been described
as ‘the underfunded of the underfunded.’
The charity is run entirely by volunteers, so all
donations will go towards this much needed
research. For more information about the charity,
visit www.astrofund.org.uk.
Linda added: “People often think that because these
tumours are low-grade and are viewed as ‘benign’
they are not dangerous, but they are anything but
benign. Because the brain is encased in a rigid skull,
these tumours have no place to go when they grow
and they press on parts of the brain essential for
speech, balance, memory, coordination, mobility,
vision or even life, causing profound disabilities and
ultimately, sadly death. Astro Brain Tumour Fund
also runs a Facebook Support Group for patients and
carers all over the world; the members which are
able to offer tips and also comfort and support each
other.”
Sarah-Jane Ward, another knitter, of The Ryan MS
Therapy Centre said: “The Centre welcomes anyone
from the South London and Surrey areas. We offer
specialist physiotherapy classes together with Pilates,
counselling, podiatry, APS pain relief, reflexology,
massage and Reiki.
We can also run Fatigue Management Workshops
and Occupational Therapy clinics. Just as important,
is our social, fun and relaxed environment where our
members can make new friends, have a laugh and get
support and tips from others living with MS.”
For further info visit www.ryanmstherapy.org
To make a donation to the Ryan MS Therapy Centre,
go to https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/
LifesizeSanta and to Astro Brain Tumour Fund go to
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lindarickford1
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