CELEBRATING her 99th birthday tomorrow (November 5), fundraising veteran Edna Liddicoat has set herself a goal for her hundredth.
Great grandmother Edna, from St Blazey, has with the help of her family and friends, raised nearly £95,000 for the Merlin MS Centre since 2002. Her mission is to reach £100,000 before her hundredth birthday.
For the past 20 Christmases and Easters Edna’s home, and those of her friends, have been filled with the sound of needles knitting thousands of chicks, Santas and snowmen ready to be stuffed with a festive chocolate and sold in shops across Cornwall to raise money for the neurological charity based in Hewas Water near St Austell. Edna’s dedication to raising funds is for a reason close to her heart.
Her granddaughter Karen, a former nurse, lived with Multiple Sclerosis for many years and benefited from many of the services offered by the purpose-built Merlin MS Centre.
Karen sadly passed away in 2014, aged just 44, but the family vowed to carry on raising funds in her memory.
Edna said: “We have 500 knitted figures ready to go but I am determined to get another 500 made and sold before Christmas.
“I couldn’t do any of this without my wonderful family and friends.
“Those that don’t knit, sell and those who don’t sell, buy the chocolates!”