Bringing St Albans Together Through Creativity and Charity
Bringing creativity and community together to raise money for local charities.
Read about our story, our mission, who we support and the impact we’ve made so far.
Thank you for coming on this journey with us!
We’ve raised £194,676.68 for charities since 2018!
Hertfordshire festive yarn-bombers raise thousands for charities
What’s our story? Well, every Christmas, postboxes in St Albans and the surrounding area are decorated with crocheted and knitted works of art.
People who enjoy them are asked to make a donation, which is split between that year’s local charities. Donations are made directly to a dedicated fundraising website, which then sends the donations to the respective charities.
More than £194,000 has been raised for charity since Clare Suttie and Candy Stuart co-founded the project in 2018.
Each postbox is sponsored by a local business or group, and the QR codes on each topper lead to a donation site.
The toppers, many with a Christmassy theme, are created by a team of around 50 dedicated volunteers who begin work on these festive delights in March.
In November 2024 we attempted the Guinness World Record for the largest number of textile postbox toppers – and we were successful! (102 toppers in one room, it was quite a day)!
Many volunteers help, and this is very much a community project, with everyone donating their skills, time and materials.
Look out for yarnbombed postboxes in St Albans, Park Street, Harpenden, Wheathampstead, Sandridge, London Colney, and Redbourn!
Maps are added here upon launch each year
News this Year (2025)
You can donate anytime
Our Yarnbombers
None of this would be possible without our fantastic, talented, creative and dedicated team of woolly magicians – the yarnbombers – using their crochet hooks and knitting needles all year to dazzle St Albans in December.
Our wonderful creative director is Candy Stuart, with a lot of support from the woolly mince pie legend that is Lucy Dronfield.
As always, all our creative miracle workers donate all their time and materials. We have craft clubs, WI’s, community groups, individuals and friends working together – everyone is welcome.
There’s some information about some of the team here
The yarnbombers are a phenomenal bunch – we are ever grateful to our brilliant team of makers, including:
| Anita Kyriacou | Hannah Crompton | Katie Wright | Pippa Pearson |
| Barbara Mortimer | Herts Belles WI | Klaudia Hangacsi | Rose Hadden |
| Bronwyn John | HKc2tog | Leanna’s Wish | Sandra Sayce |
| Candy Stuart | Homewood Charity Knitters | Lucy Dronfield | Shelley Healy |
| Clare Seldon | Isobel Cutforth | Maggie Lacey | The Sopwell Knitters |
| Claire Toms | Jane Reid | Matilda Stuart | Townsend C of E school |
| Diane MacDonald | Jefferson Crafts | Nicki Marriott | Val Woolridge |
| Gail Traylen | Jenny Smith | Patricia Dovey | Yve Cattermole |
| Georgeana Gonzalez | Joyce Carey | Pauline Hereford | |
| Gillian Winkworth | Kathryn Jolles | Phyllis Sweeney |
Souvenir Book
A Heartwarming Keepsake Celebrating 102 Incredible Postboxes
Discover the colour, creativity, and community spirit behind the St Albans Postboxes project with our special 2024 souvenir book, a beautifully curated collection of all 102 postbox toppers from our record-breaking display held on November 26, 2024, at the Holiday Inn in London Colney, St Albans.
This limited-edition photo book captures the joy, craftsmanship, and imagination of the makers who bring this tradition to life each year. With minimal text and vibrant full-colour photography, it showcases every topper exactly as it appeared on the day—from festive favourites to intricate scenes and charming characters.
Why We Created the Book
In 2024, our team decided to attempt a world record for the largest display of textile postbox toppers. Unsurprisingly, when a group of crafters and yarnbombers put their minds to something, they make it happen! Bringing all 102 postbox toppers together in one place was an unforgettable moment, and we knew we wanted to preserve that day in a way the whole community could enjoy.
This book is a celebration of:
- – The fantastic volunteers and makers who craft each topper
- – The sponsors and supporters who help the project grow
- – The joy our toppers bring to St Albans every December
- – The charities we proudly support each year
Supporting Local Charities
Every copy sold helps make a difference.
All profits from this edition are donated to our two chosen 2024 charities:
Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled
Up on Downs — the Hertfordshire Down’s Syndrome support organisation
By buying this book, you’re not just getting a beautiful keepsake—you’re supporting vital local work that changes lives.
The Perfect Christmas Gift
Looking for a meaningful Christmas present? This book is a festive favourite in the making.
It’s ideal for:
- Proud St Albans locals
- Crafters, Yarnbombers, and their adoring fans
- Coffee-table book collectors
- Grandparents
- Curious Children
- Anyone who loves a feel-good community story
Get your copy
Whether you’re local or cheering us on from afar, you can enjoy the magic of the St Albans Postboxes wherever you are.
St Albans in History
FAQs
How do I donate?
You can donate via our Give As You Live page here: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/st-albans-postboxes-2023
All the money goes directly to our charities
Where do the donations go?
All the donations are split evenly between our 2 charities each year.
All donations are via a Give As You Live donation page, which we set up each year.
Can you make a topper for my postbox?
You can ask, and we will consider - but only if you live in the St Albans area.
If you want to nominate a postbox to have a festive makeover, please take a photo of your postbox, and make a note of its address and postcode. Then send over your request to us and we'll see what we can do.
Is it a modern one? The older ones have a nice overhang (a lip) that allows us to secure the toppers easily. The modern ones have nothing to secure the toppers to, making them very easy to remove. The doors are also very close to the top of the box making it likely that the toppers would get stuck in the doors thus making mail collection more difficult, which we really try to avoid.
Is it a box on a stick? These are tricky too!
What happens to the toppers?
Our amazing team will take down the toppers at the end of December. They'll then be gently checked over, audited, washed and stored ready for their next appearance.
We repair and recycle as much as we possibly can. We do take some wiring and staples out to prevent rust - and these will be put back together next autumn.
We only throw away anything that has been damaged beyond repair.
Why don’t you sell the toppers to raise more money?
The toppers are built to survive 30 days on top of a postbox in December. They are complex structures of wire, staples and glue to keep them together.
They are not toys and as such, don't meet any standards by which we could sell them.
We recycle and reuse as much as possible ready for next year - this really is a year long project!
Each topper will usually last a number of years and so can help us to carry on fundraising, which we believe will raise more money, for more charities.
Can I have the patterns please?
Our amazing crochet team have either found the patterns online (using Google), adapted patterns they already have or, the creative geniuses that they are, made them up themselves.
We do have standard patterns for the bases (knitting, and crochet), and can send these to you on request. Note that if you are planning to yarn-bomb a postbox, they do come in a variety of sizes, so you will need to do some measuring!
Can you teach me to knit or crochet?
We don't run any classes, but there are lots of knitting and crochet groups locally, including the Sopwell Knitters and the Knit and Natter group at the St Albans Library.
If you fancy teaching yourself to crochet or knit, there are many books and YouTube tutorials available to get you started.
Can I make a topper for next time?
We'd love to hear from you if you'd like to get involved with making a topper. We'll need a firm commitment by March (that's when it all starts!) about what you can do.
It might be that you can make the topper bases but not the decorations, or the other way around. Get in touch with us to register your interest - email candidastuart@gmail.com
All our team provide their own yarn - although we do often receive generous donations of yarn and we distribute this as and when needed.
Can I sponsor a topper next time?
We love to hear from sponsors and the sooner we know about you, the better. Please register your interest as soon as you can - email clare@atlas-translations.co.uk
Why don’t you do more to protect the toppers?
Every part of the St Albans Postboxes yarnbomb is done by volunteers. That includes:
- Every topper being made
- Every topper being put onto the postbox
- All social media
- This website and everything on it
- Every topper being collected, washed, repaired and stored for next year
- Everything else
We really hope that you enjoy the toppers but we don't have the time, money or manpower to take them in every night, cover them in a dome or GPS track them.
We hope that people enjoy and respect them.
Can I share pictures?
Of course! We love to see them - please do share.
Facebook - the St Albans Postboxes Page, your own page, anywhere you think they'll be appreciated
Twitter - please tag us @spostboxes and #stalbanspostboxes
Instagram - please tag us @stalbanspostboxes and #stalbanspostboxes