Best pack our vests
Category: Latest
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The van is on its way!
Text from the wonderful CCLL.Yesterday the our minibus was loaded to the roof. Lots of wounderful donations for children and their families in #ukraine including 150 blankets and 5 boxes of rechargeable torches and powerbanks from Woolly Hugs and 100’s of School in a Bag sets.With our CEO Dennis Vystavkin at the wheel it is now on it’s way to Lublin, Poland via Holland where Dennis will be visiting various suppliers that are supporting our partners Благодійний фонд “Єлеон”/Charitable foundation EleonOn Wednesday he will be joined in Lublin by Michael Lafferty and Andy March, together with Ginny and Gertie from Woolly Hugs to give a short respite break for up to 90 Ukrainian children.
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“All blankets are on board”
“All blankets are on board” Dennis has started loading the CCLL minibus as he (and his mum) will be heading out on Saturday/Sunday ready tp meet us in Lublin. He is stopping off in Holand to speak to some supplier supporters on behalf of our Ukrainian/Polish partner charity Eleon.
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Looking forward! The Great Spring/Easter Craft Sale and Auction 2024. March 5-9th
Welcome to our Easter 2024 fundraising craft sale and Auction crafting phase!
Thank you so much for joining us. All funds raised will go directly into our own Woolly Hug projects. Every penny raised will go to help others, we hope you will support us, either by crafting, buying or even maybe both! Thank you so so much. x
Crafting info…
We would love our crafters to make Spring/Easter craft items, and to keep postage costs to a minimum we ask that ideally anything made can be sent on to a buyer in a large envelope. We are open to larger items too obviously, that is just a guide. We will then sell these beauties through the sale.
Some suggestions for you, but we are very open to others too…
- Spring and Easter decorations, bunting, garlands, Easter egg themes etc
- Anything sheep wise is always popular!
- Small gifts – Little bags, purses, brooches, hair accessories, key rings, gift bags, tags,
- Clothing – but lightweight please, we find heavier winter hats, scarves don’t sell well at this time. PLEASE include the yarn type or ball band so we can let folk know how to wash their new treasure. Socks are always very popular!
- Woolly, fabric, card, embroidered, beaded, all crafty crafts welcome!!
- Lovely lovely things!
Absolute last posting for crafts to be February 12th please, earlier is better for us if at all possible.
Please message for the posting information if you need, but it will be Teddington.
The Event itself…
Our Spring/Easter 2024 Craft sale and Auction will take place ONLINE on a Facebook Event page and our own Auction site attached to this website as before, between Tuesday 5th March and Saturday 9th March. ( Sunday is Mothers’ day)
Some items will be up for instant sale on our event wall during this time, others through auction on our Auction Site which will help folk not on Facebook, or those who prefer to take part in this way. Do message us if you have any questions.
We are keeping it all crossed that this Sale will be a huge success, with your love and support we have every confidence, huge heartfelt thanks.
THANK YOU!!!!
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Woolly Hugs goes to Poland, Christmas 2023
Absolutely delighted to now be able to share this with you. We are joining Andy and Dennis from the CCLL on their trip to Lublin, Poland just before Christmas. (Dec 14th – 19th)
A large group of 10-14 year old Ukrainian children from Korosten district will be arriving into Poland for a respite break and will be accompanied by 5 leaders – 4 of whom are English teachers. There are two days of activities planned, including something with some Ukrainian children and their families already refugeed in Lublin. Lublin is about 50 miles from the Ukrainian border.
And then on the Saturday we get to be there to be with the Ukrainian children and help give our blankets out. OUR CHERNOBS! Our beautiful blankets to these 150 beautiful children! Can you image how precious a time this will be? We are beyond thankful that this is actually a possibility! Just wow.
Each and every one of you will be with us in spirit. We take you all in our hearts.
As with our trip to Belarus we intend to blog and even Vlog where possible. We found this worked really well, and wifi might be easier this time!
We are flying with Andy March to Warsaw, and then driving to Lublin. Dennis is driving all our blankets plus a lot more from Alton. That’s over 1000 miles in a van!
Our beautiful blanket collection can be seen here….
So so happy we can do this, we will take as many photos as we can! As Dennis says our blankets are so much more than just a blanket. They give love, support, warmth and comfort.
We have one more ask. In the past we have made stockings for children just like these. We are asking for something fundamental this time. If you would like to send along an additional gift for one of the children living in Ukraine, please read on. The charity are developing the idea of a grab bag for these kids. So if they have to go suddenly into a shelter they have a bag with a full water bottle, something to read, something to keep warm, which could be our blankets and a torch. Its the torch we are asking for. It is a specific type, a rechargeable torch so no need for replacement batteries. It is awful that this is their life experience, they had so little to start with, now coping with ongoing war.
Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, 6 Hartley Business Park, Selborne Road, Alton, GU34 3HD.
Any to go in the van on THIS trip, need to have arrived by Dec 8th. Anything that will arrive after the 8th will be going across to Ukraine in mid Jan 24.
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The Great Woolly Hugs’ York Hugathon, Saturday 2nd March 2024
The Great Woolly Hugs’ York Hugathon takes place on Saturday 2nd March 2024 between 11am and 3.30pm. Our venue is at St Olave’s Church Hall, Marygate Lane, York, England, YO30 7DS. This is very near to the beautiful Museum Gardens, and easily accessed by public transport, The venue is accessible, with accessible facilities. All further information is on the Eventbrite page, link below.
Please join us! And if you are worried about not knowing anyone,
Tickets will be on sale on Eventbrite from 7pm on December 1st, The link is here….
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SOLD OUT! The Great Woolly Hugs’ Hugathon. Brighton Seafront. Saturday 27th January 2024
The Great Woolly Hugs’ Hugathon at Brighton takes place on Saturday 27th January 2024 between 11.00am and 3.30pm, at the beautiful Regency Brighton Harbour Hotel, which is right on Brighton’s world-famous and iconic promenade and is within easy walking distance of both piers, just a stone’s throw away from the glorious pebbled beach. There is no obligation to walk along the pier, but you might want to, bring big jumpers if so! And if anyone wants to swim, you are bonkers but we’d look after your stuff!!!!
Our Venue is fully accessible. There are accessible bathroom facilities.
TICKETS COST £20 EACH
On Sale from 7pm on Sunday 8th October. CLICK THIS LINK TO TAKE YOU TO EVENTBRITE!
It is an increase on our 2023 price, and we have held out doing this as long as possible, but all venues are having to increase their prices, which impacts us. Apologies for this. The price includes event swag and we hope that you think the Hugathon is still good value.
Our Hugathons are a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Woolly Huggers who share a love of crafting. They are friendly and inclusive. It is a great time for chatting with your fellow Woolly crew and sharing ideas. If Tortie behaves we will let him come too, he is keen for the rides at the end of the pier! We’ve included some testimonials from folk who have been to one before, which might be useful if this is your first time.
There is a bar onsite, so it is totally up to you what you do about catering for the day. We are unable to make provision, so you might want to bring a flask, drinks, packed lunch etc. But as an example a cappuccino from the bar costs £4.40, a pot of tea is £3.50. Obviously there are coffee shops around too which is always an option. At the end we are planning on Brighton vespers, a gin and vodka based cocktail! But we promise not to start too early, Maybe!
During the Hugathon we will attempt to get as many 6 inch squares made. In Brighton we are focussing on our Chernobyl 2024 project. We will provide all SSDK, but please remember to bring your 4mm hooks/knitting needles, you will need them! If you have any squares already made for THIS project, please bring them, it may be that we can get some kits out for construction. The link for the project is below.
We will also be running a rather fabulous Lucky Dip (£1 a go) and our legendary Gin Raffle (£1 a ticket) So do bring along some cash, or we do have a card machine if that is easier, happy to tap for any amount! Whilst this is primarily a meet up we always need to raise funds! And finally we will play a couple of games of our infamous Yarn Bingo game, you will not want to miss this! Well, you might want to but you can’t! Haha!
Do join us, we’d love to meet you or see you again. And if you are worried about not knowing anyone, let us know and we can get you seated and chatting as quick as a flash.
How to get there…
The venue address…
Brighton Harbour Hotel, 60-64 Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 1NA.
It is approx a 15 minute walk from the train station, very easy, it is almost a straight line down! Obviously there are car parks, click here for the council website for where to find these
And should ANYONE wish to know, it is about a 40 min drive from Gatwick. JUST SAYIN.
From folk who have been to a Hugathon before…
Walking into a room of people you might have never met could be daunting … but at the Hugathon you are surrounded immediately with love, purpose and wool! What better way to spend a day? Alexsis
A warm woolly welcome to all. I travelled there alone, anxiously entered, not knowing a soul. Within a few mins I felt so welcomed and part of this wonderful group. A room full of like minded people, wool galore, cakes, tea, coffee, and probably gin
JulieA wonderful experience meeting friends and like minded people. Like sinking into a warm bath of friendship I’ve always known but never met before. Jen
Attending the Woolly Hugs Hugathon was an amazing experience, putting faces to the names you had made friends with online in the pursuit of a common goal to spread yarn love around the UK and the World. Paula
A fabulous day meeting ‘strangers’ I have known online for years. Sharing yarn, craft skills, cake and laughter. Returning home full of love for the wonderful Woolly Huggers! Jo
It was lovely to meet all the folk I have made virtual friends with online . It gave me a real sense of us working together helping to make something beautiful and worthwhile . It was also lovely for the chat , laughter and to admire the amazing craftmanship going on around me , and how everyone was happy to share their expertise Steph
The hugathon is where the WH virtual community crosses over into a face to face community, meeting others who you may have got to know online. It’s so lovely to be able to sit and work and natter together, comparing notes and making friends. It epitomises the spirit of WH, crafters working together to benefit others. Alison
I’ve only been to one but it was brilliant and had gin
Anna