Wem woman makes mini models of the town for Bobbie the robin who visits everyday
While in lockdown, a woman from Wem received daily visits from a very small friend and decided to keep busy by creating miniature versions of town landmarks for her - much to the delight of the local Facebook group.
Sally Richards from Wem has spent her evenings in lockdown using old cereal boxes and anything she can find around the house to create miniature models of Wem landmarks, such as the fire station and local pub, as a feeding point for a resident robin.
Bobbie the robin spends a lot of time in Sally's garden, visiting her most mornings, and so Sally included her in the videos she uploads to the Wem Community Facebook page each day which now get hundreds of likes and comments.
The 57 year-old who is born and bred in Wem said she started doing it to put a smile on people's faces and that the reaction to it has been lovely.
"I love Bobbie, she has been coming for quite a while now," Sally explained. "She was named after my Aunty Bobbie, Roberta Parnell, who sadly passed away.
"She dearly loved all the birds and I promised her I would always feed them. One day Bobbie landed on my shoulder in the garden and has been visiting ever since – I only have to whistle and if she is about, she will come to me.
"I thought, what can I do to put a smile on people's faces in Wem. The models are of so many places in town, I recently did the Landona Care Home with a special tribute to Captain Tom Moore for his 100th birthday.
"I have lovely messages everyday from people on Facebook. It makes me feel good to think I'm doing something to make people smile."
Sally said she is hoping to hold an open garden party after lockdown with all the models she has made out on display.
"I've made the fire station, pub, dance academy – everybody thinks I sit there for ages making them but I don't," she added.
"When I put the models outside in the morning, Bobbie will be there waiting for her breakfast. It's like she is a born performer.
"I've been doing it for three or four weeks now and I put a new model out everyday. I love doing it. I have got eight grandchildren and they love seeing all the models.
"I love wildlife, always have. We have an otter that comes to the garden as well, and lots of other birds. I did not realise how much me uploading the videos each day would take off, I just love the people of Wem."
