Lincoln residents have been left bewildered and delighted after postboxes across the city received a woolly makeover in the form of crocheted toppers.
Lincoln’s ‘Woolly Banksy’ has so far remained anonymous and asked for their identity to be withheld.
“I want to make people smile,” they said. “I’m not in it for the glory and I just want it to seem random, but yes – it is me!”
They started by leaving small, crocheted flowers and hearts for people to find – often in supermarkets. After the current lockdown was enacted, they changed their plan.
“I saw online that people had been making these postbox toppers and I thought it was a great idea because people are all out walking and they’ll get to see them.
“I love doing them and in lockdown, when I haven’t been able to see my family and my new grandson because they all live away, it’s kept me occupied. It gives me so much pleasure making them,” they said.
The mystery postbox crocheter has been operating, along with other Lincoln artists, as part of a nationwide ‘Random Acts of Crochet Kindness’ Facebook group, which encourages its members to leave small, crocheted keepsakes anonymously across their local area.
Of course, keeping your identity secret takes careful planning.
The confidential crocheter said: “Me and my partner sneak out in the middle of the night to put them on because I don’t want to be seen!”
Another member of the group, Nadine Lilly, 48, has been hiding her ‘acts of crochet kindness’ around Hartsholme Park, Lincoln. So far, she’s left more than forty crocheted hearts for people to find and take home.
She said: “During the first lockdown, I’d gotten a bit disheartened. I think a lot of us, including myself, hit rock bottom and needed something to do.
“My friend recommended I join the ‘Random Acts of Crochet Kindness’ page, as she thought it would help me. So many people have found my hearts and it’s made their day.
“Me seeing that they’re being cheered up and have a smile on their face is making me feel good inside as well.”
If you’d like to see the decorated postboxes for yourself, they can be found around Lincoln on Boultham Park Road, Wallis Avenue and outside of Bishop Grosseteste University.
Lincoln’s ‘Woolly Banksy’ is still hard at work behind the scenes, so members of the public are advised to keep their eyes peeled for the next surprise.
Really love these post box hats my granddaughter loves them
I saw this the other day when I was walking back from Asda. Thank you crafter, it certainly made me smile and brightened up my day.