Long-term East Dulwich resident Jane Allberry has set up a project for people to rent Jacob sheep to get beautiful wool to knit with – and raise money for charity at the same time.
With Annie, an old-university friend now based in Somerset, where the sheep live, Jane sends the fleeces from the sheep to a small spinning mill in Yorkshire, and then once a year renters get 500g of wool.
Before starting the project, the wool from the Jacob sheep was going to waste or being sold as insulation material. Keen knitter Jane was impressed with the lovely fleeces and persuaded Annie to consider processing them – to raise money for Headway, the brain injury charity, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. Jane and Annie’s youngest children have been helped by these two charities and they were keen to find a sustainable way of supporting them without doing any more sponsored runs or walks.
The project started in 2014 and the first two cheques (£300 each) have gone to the two charities. If you are interested in renting a sheep, find further information at www.mfwoolproject.co.uk or email contact@mfwoolproject.co.uk