Margaret's knitted Sandringham raises £20,000 for hospitals

The knitted Sandringham, created by avid knitter Margaret Seaman, from Caister, near Great Yarmouth, was on display at Sandringham House over the summer, having first been shown at the Forum in Norwich.

The exhibition came to an end on Friday, September 24, and the Royal Estate says 92-year-old Mrs Seaman's work raised £11,849 towards the projects during its time there.

Margaret Seaman has knitted together a woolly recreation of Sandringham Estate. (Image: Sandringham Estate)

The total amount raised from the exhibitions at Sandringham and the Forum is now at roughly £20,000, the estate said.

The projects which will benefit include the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), which aims to raise money for a dedicated breast cancer unit on site, a maternity bereavement suite at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn and the Raise a Rainbow Appeal, a community improvement project, at the James Paget University Hospital (JUH) in Gorleston.

Caroline Shaw, chief executive of the QEH, thanked Mrs Seaman on behalf of hospital staff.

"Margaret's Knitted Sandringham is truly an amazing piece of art and we’re so grateful for her support," she said. "Thank you Margaret."

Margaret Seaman has knitted together a woolly recreation of Sandringham Estate. (Image: Sandringham Estate)

Lynne Crombie, from the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity, also thanked Mrs Seaman on behalf of the hospital and its charities, and said: “Margaret’s knitted collection is simply amazing and to dedicate so much of her time to produce these wonderful pieces is incredibly inspiring. We were delighted that Margaret decided to use her talents to support the hospitals in our region."

Mrs Seaman said it had been a summer she "could never have imagined".

"I started knitting because I like to be busy, I wanted to create models that meant something to me and to other people so they would raise more money for good causes," she said.

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"I never thought my knitting would raise so much for charity. I’m so pleased, it’s been such a hard time for everyone during the pandemic and I’m just glad I’ve made people smile and helped our local hospitals. I will cherish these special Royal memories.”

The display will now move to Pour L’Amour Du Fil, a four-day textile festival in Nantes, France.

Mrs Seaman previously knitted Knittingale Hospital in honour of the Nightingale Hospital which opened during the pandemic.

Margaret Seaman has knitted together a woolly recreation of Sandringham Estate. (Image: Sandringham Estate)