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Idles drummer's mum raises charity cash knitting 'i-dolls'

Annie Beavis / Brian Mimpress Annie Beavis holding Idles dolls and and a fan holding a mini meAnnie Beavis / Brian Mimpress
Annie Beavis (left) started by knitting dolls of members of Idles and the people who moderate their fan page

The mother of Idles drummer Jon Beavis has raised almost £4000 for charity by knitting "i-dolls" for hundreds of their fans.

Annie Beavis began her knitting journey by creating dolls of the Bristol band for a raffle that raised £1,800.

She was then inundated with requests from members of the band's online fan page around the world.

"I love doing it because it gives people so much joy," said Mrs Beavis.

Though most of her creations are for people who love the rock band, she has also caught the attention of others and recently knitted three "special" dolls for the family of an American girl, who died aged four from glioblastoma.

Cindy Jo Hilse Three photos of Ellie and the doll versions of herCindy Jo Hilse
The hair on two of the Ellie dolls lifts up on one side to reveal a shaved head like Ellie's, who died in 2017

Ellie Walton's great aunt, Cindy Jo Hilse, asked her to knit the look-alike dolls for Ellie's sisters to remember her by.

"She wanted them to show that she had half her head with no hair to represent all the surgeries she had - she wanted specific outfits for them," explained Mrs Beavis.

"It's just unbelievable. Every stitch that I knitted then was knitted with love."

Ms Hilse said she was "so excited" to share the dolls with her family.

"The amazing detail Annie captures in each doll is so touching and perfect," she said.

Kirsty Williamson/Andy Wilkinson/Nikki Sevenn Fans with their knitted dollsKirsty Williamson/Andy Wilkinson/Nikki Sevenn
Mrs Beavis says she tries to capture each individual person with features like hair, clothing and glasses

Mrs Beavis has now raised £1000 each for cancer charities Macmillan, who looked after her when she had breast cancer, and Marie Cure, who took care of a "very dear friend" of hers in the final days of her life.

She is going to donate the next £1000 she raises to a children's cancer charity, because "cancer touches so many people".

Jez & Claire Stone/Peri Menees/Paul McPherson Knitted dolls in Idles t-shirtsJez & Claire Stone/Peri Menees/Paul McPherson
Many of Mrs Beavis' requests are for fans wearing their favourite Idles t-shirts

Mrs Beavis, who recently moved from Bristol to Chichester, has more "i-dolls" in the works, with the latest heading to a family in Australia.

The creations, which are all based on a photo and some written detail about each person, have also reached Poland, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

She said the first doll she knitted was a lifeboat man for her husband for Christmas. "And then I thought, 'Ooh, I could knit the boys, I could knit the band'," she said.

Alan Leaker and Hayley Fisher Alan Leaker and Hayley Fisher and their knitted dollsAlan Leaker and Hayley Fisher
Mrs Beavis says she has never done something so creative before

She said the "funniest thing" was that she had made quite a name for herself on the 33,000-strong Idles fan page, the AF Gang, with regular updates and photos of her dolls being posted.

Recently at a festival "people were coming up to me and saying 'Could I have a selfie?', ignoring Jon".

"He said, 'Mum, you're more famous than I am'," she added.

Annie Beavis/Idles Idles holding their mini-me dollsAnnie Beavis/Idles
Mrs Beavis' son Jon (left), who drums in Idles, says his mum is doing a "wonderful thing"

"I love that there is a connection between the fans and my mum," said Mr Beavis.

"She has loved hearing all of their stories and it's a wonderful thing that she has been able to raise all this money for various charities," he said.

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