Hertfordshire yarn-bombers raise £13k despite missing postbox toppers

A group of yarn-bombers have seen their creations raise more than £13,000 half way through their charity fundraising month despite many going missing.

St Albans Postboxes installed 60 festive postbox toppers across Hertfordshire on 1 December, but eight have since disappeared.

Organisers have worked hard to replace them while others "magically" returned.

Co-founder, Candy Stuart, said the group was "disappointed but never deterred".

More than £82,000 has been raised for charity since the project started in 2018.

Each is sponsored by a local business and QR codes lead to a donation site to raise money for charities - which this year are St Albans Action For Homeless and St Albans Community Pantry.

New toppers include a scale model of St Albans Cathedral, created by The Sopwell Knitters and the 12 Days of Christmas.

A project spokeswoman said they were "devastated" when the first one was reported missing in the early hours of 2 December - and another within 24 hours.

Since then, eight have disappeared, although one was located nearby in a garden and others "reappeared magically", the group said. Others have been vandalised.

The latest casualty was a green dinosaur, which went missing from the Herts Belles WI topper at the Clock Tower, depicting the Waffle House restaurant.

Hannah Hope, from Hannah Hope Nutrition, said she was "so upset" when the creation she sponsored, a depiction of the Wizard of Oz, was taken.

"My family and I were so happy to see what we considered 'our' topper go up," she said.

"It lasted on display for a matter of a few days until someone decided they would take it."

She added it had been replaced by Father Christmas and some penguins which were "just adorable".

Ms Stuart said: "It's always so disappointing when the amazing creations are stolen or damaged as so much work goes into this project by our crafters.

"We will always do our best to replace missing ones, it's really upsetting for [the makers] when their work is stolen, especially so early on in December.

"These beauties are not toys and are full of wire, glue and other nasties - they are made to decorate a postbox and to raise money.

"But we are never deterred."

Co-founder Clare Suttie said they "try to focus on all the positives".

"There is nothing like seeing people's faces light up when they see a topper," she said.

"And in what is obviously a very challenging year financially for so many people and local businesses, we are thrilled to have raised £13,731 already."

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