Horsham Jubilee postbox toppers damaged over bank holiday weekend

Crocheters from Horsham have described the damage caused to their woolly postbox toppers for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as ‘disheartening’.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Members of the Horsham Normandy Women's institute (WI) had decorated the community with knitted crowns and versions of the Queen to mark her 70 years on the throne.

The toppers were displayed on six postboxes in the town, and the group have reported three to have been damaged, with one of them having its woolly Queen stolen from the top.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pam Tedder, Horsham topper project organiser, said: “We were aware that toppers from around the country had been stolen for the Jubilee. It was with a very heavy heart that we didn't put them out until close to the event.

Members of the Horsham Normandy Women's institute (WI) had decorated the community with knitted crowns and versions of the Queen to mark her 70 years on the throne.Members of the Horsham Normandy Women's institute (WI) had decorated the community with knitted crowns and versions of the Queen to mark her 70 years on the throne.
Members of the Horsham Normandy Women's institute (WI) had decorated the community with knitted crowns and versions of the Queen to mark her 70 years on the throne.

“We secured them this time using clips, so they haven't been stolen, but there was damaged caused to three of them.”

The Horsham WI first started making postbox toppers during last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and saw one of their four knitted creations stolen.

At Christmas, the organisation put out 14 toppers to raise money for local charity Horsham Matters.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite raising £2,500, two of those creations were stolen as well.

The toppers were displayed on six postboxes in the town, and the group have reported three to have been damaged,The toppers were displayed on six postboxes in the town, and the group have reported three to have been damaged,
The toppers were displayed on six postboxes in the town, and the group have reported three to have been damaged,

Pam said: “It’s disheartening, I have people who had their toppers destroyed at Christmas who will not make them again for me.

They donate their time and their materials and some of them spent weeks and weeks making them. So for someone to make off with it, is very disheartening for them.”

Despite the setbacks, Pam said the Horsham WI ‘will not be beaten’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The remaining crocheters still have plans to knit toppers for Remembrance Day and the Christmas period this year.

Pam said: “We are determined, we will not be beaten. We’ve got plans for Remembrance Day coming up, we put one out last year and we are hoping to significantly improve on that this year. We also still have plans to go ahead with our Christmas theme as well.

“If you are that desperate for a topper, just ask. If they are that desperate, we will make them for them, but please don’t just take them.

“When we put them out, people stop in their car and tell us how much they enjoy them, they really love the toppers.

"When people damage them, it ruins it for everybody else.”

READ MORE

Related topics: