Mother in Dudley hopes to sell 500 Easter bonnets in bid to raise money for charity
A woman in Dudley hopes to sell 500 Easter bonnets in a bid to raise funds for charities that have had a personal impact.
Kellie Bates, from Lower Gornal, has donated more than £10,000 to different organisations since she took-up the craft eight years ago.
And this year she is hoping to raise £800 more to give to the Make a Wish Foundation and the Williams Syndrome Foundation, as her son Matthew suffers from the genetic condition which effects one in 25,000 children.
The 41-year-old said: "I started making the bonnets when my eldest daughter needed one for a parade at nursery and one of the mum's commented that I should make more.
"So the following year I probably made around 20 and it just progressed from there.
"When I put my group together on Facebook, I then came up with the idea of donating a percentage to the Williams Syndrome Foundation so it just went from there."
Since Matthew was diagnosed with the condition at 16 weeks old, the family have experienced the work of the charity first-hand, which offers support to loved ones through regular meet-ups with people in a similar circumstance.
Kellie, who is a carer for her son, added: "Matthew is 11, but mentally he is probably eight or nine – it affects handwriting, spelling and developmental delays at all levels.
"But he loves to kick a ball about, he is a very happy little boy and his syndrome doesn't stop him doing things in life."
The family have also benefited from the Make a Wish Foundation, after Kellie's son was invited to Lapland back in 2019.
And the mother-of-four will be making 5000 individual flowers for the bonnets which she started crafting in September to get a "head start".
People can find out more about the more than 300 designs on offer and help donate to the charities by visiting Kellie's Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/412903198875826
