Shops raising the baas to promote Wellington
Residents of a Shropshire town are flocking to support a new project which is encouraging them to get creative and visit their local High Street.
Love Wellington, the campaign to promote the town, has launched a "Lost Sheep of Wellington" initiative which will create a treasure hunt featuring sheep in shop windows around Wellington in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Sally Themans of Love Wellington said: "We all know the Christmas story of the shepherds visiting the infant Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem. This advent, Wellington’s sheep will be scattered all around the town and will need local children to round them up in time for Christmas Eve.
“We hope the ‘lost sheep’ will be lovingly crafted by various Wellington residents for this community Christmas project. They will be placed in shop windows around the town and we will be encouraging people to spot them.”
Sally said that the treasure hunt would bring parents and children into Wellington to look for sheep in the windows of a wide range of shops and businesses in their own time without the need to attend an event – keeping everyone safe.
“The project will also give people and groups who knit, sew and crochet a purpose to take part in something for the town, particularly while some may be isolated. We hope everyone will get involved.”
The sheep can be dropped at various delivery points, including The Daberhashery in Wellington Market, Wool Magic in New Street, The Orbit in Market Square and the Gratitude Cafe in Duke Street.
All sheep need to be there by the end of November for them to be placed into the windows. Sheep need to be no larger than a hand and each one will have a name.
Local primary schools will be asked to take part in the ‘sheep spotting’ and help round up the flock and it is hoped there may be a way for children to be able to win a sheep at the end.
The Rev Tim Carter of All Saints Church said: "When the knitters and crocheters of the churches in and around Wellington heard about the ‘Lost Sheep of Wellington’ project, they were delighted to be able to put their creativity into action in support of the town and community, to help us look forward to Christmas in these strange times."
