A woman from Seaham is quietly spreading joy and raising thousands of pounds for charity with her hand-knitted postbox toppers, which regularly stop passers-by in their tracks.
The colourful creations sit proudly on top of a postbox on The Terrace, opposite Seaham’s Tommy statue, and are changed throughout the year to reflect key dates and celebrations, from Christmas and Halloween to Remembrance events.
Grandma of eleven Alison Dixon, 65, from Seaham, has been creating them to “bring a bit of cheer” to the town.
She explained that the reaction from the local community has been incredibly positive.
“They seem to cause a bit of a stir; everyone loves them,” she said. “It’s wonderful that my knitting is appreciated, brings such joy and is useful in raising money.”
Alison learned to knit at just five-years-old and has kept up the craft ever since, turning a lifelong hobby into a force for good. Alongside the postbox toppers, she knits items for charity auctions and fundraising efforts, raising more than £2,000 to date.
She says she is always planning her next postbox topper, with ideas already forming for future designs. “I enjoy knitting, and I’m always thinking about what I can do next,” she said. “If it makes people smile when they walk past, then it’s worth it."
She mainly fundraises for Independent Setter Rescue, a cause close to her heart after owning Irish and English setters for more than 45 years. Over the years, she has also raised money for a wide range of local, national and international charities and causes including Animal Support Trust, Breast Cancer Now, the Covid wards at Sunderland Royal Hospital, Westway Vets’ stray animal fund, Dawdon Community Centre food bank, Andy’s Man Club, the Ukrainian humanitarian fund and even charities supporting animals affected by the war in Ukraine.
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Alison and her work have also supported Zarach, which provides beds and bedding for children, as well as fundraising for prostate cancer and motor neurone disease.
Her charity work began in earnest during the Covid pandemic, when she knitted to help raise funds for hospital wards during the height of the crisis.
The postbox toppers have become a small but much-loved feature of Seaham, with people regularly sharing photos online and praising Alison’s work.
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