Val Pawsey loves nothing better than picking up her knitting needles to help raise thousands of pounds for charity.
The kind-hearted grandma has purled her way to success by making dolls and dolls clothing to sell at carnivals and school fairs across the region.
Val, who lives in Cookridge, has knitted her way through hundreds of balls of wool to raise just over £16,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance over the last eight years.
Her success has even seen her name mentioned in Parliament by her local MP.
She said: “It came as a bit of a surprise to have my name mentioned in Parliament.
“I was used as an example of someone raising funds for charity.
“I even took my knitting into hospital with me and managed to raise £50 by making Easter bunnies.
“I don’t stop if I can help it.”
Mrs Pawsey said that she first started to raise money for another charity but didn’t feel her work was being appreciated.
She decided to start raising money for the charity after she spotted the YAA’s helicopters flying over her home from their Leeds Bradford Airport base
Now she has a loft full of wool and buttons and a team of five knitters who help her create clothes of all shapes and sizes.
Mrs Pawsey added: “I’m quite pleased with the amount I’ve raised in total. It’s a steady £2,500 a year and I just love knitting.
“I recently did a collection in a supermarket and had everything out over two tables and one person came up to me and gave me £50. I have never seen so much money in my life and I couldn’t believe it. There are some wonderful people out there.”
“My grandchildren also help me out on the stall when they can.”
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