THE GREAT Waddle for Worcester encouraged people to make handcraft penguins for its pop up shop.
When sorting through the donations the team found a note inside a bad of donated knitted penguins.
Sara Matthews, business development manager for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “We’ve been blown away by the community’s kindness in knitting penguins and always look for the maker’s details so we can send a proper thank you.
“Except this particular bag contained a thank you note to us for giving the maker an ‘unexpected gift’ of focus and distraction during the first lonely months without their husband.
“The author paid tribute to the care her husband had received from St Richard’s and for ensuring he had precious extra time with his family.”
The team met Sue Hencher on the penguin trail with a goody bag for her grandchildren.
Sue Hencher, from Worcester, said: “My husband, Vaughan, really enjoyed taking our grandchildren around the elephant and giraffe trails and was very much hoping to be here to see the penguins.
“It was Vaughan’s idea that I knit penguins over the winter months to help the hospice.
“When I lost him more suddenly than expected in September it took me a while to start knitting, but it soon became so much more to me.
“I started putting them into his empty armchair and when I was asked by my granddaughter if I was going to fill his chair with penguins I readily accepted the challenge.
“In fact, I have gone much further than that and created 100 penguins but I am keeping a few in his chair as it would look so empty without them.”
The hospice is asking senders to include their contact details inside the packaging so each maker can be thanked.
