Fundraiser’s knitting quest for local charity

A LOCAL woman raised £420 for a young girl who needed a new wheelchair, by knitting and selling cuddly toys.

Heather Songhurst spent nine months knitting around 150 toys, after being inspired by the story of  six-year-old Mya Macey-Plested who needed £7,000 for a new special wheelchair.

Heather donated the money to Mya’s family in January, who were recently able to buy the much-needed wheelchair.

Mya was born at 28 weeks with a spinal cord injury, leaving her an incomplete tetraplegic which affects her arms and legs, meaning she is unable to walk and needs a wheelchair to get around. Mya’s family launched the campaign ‘Keep Mya Moving’ last year to raise the money.

Heather explained, “I suffer from a bad back and need support to walk, so I could relate to Mya’s story and how she might be feeling. I’ve knitted Easter chicks, rabbits, lambs, elephants and monkeys, all on my own, and have been selling them mainly at the leg club that I attend.”

And if that wasn’t enough, Heather also knitted poppies, donating money raised to the Poppy Appeal.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do next, but I’m sure I’ll be knitting again soon enough!”