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My story or I should say obsession, started when i saw an 18 inch high patchwork Elephant in a shop window. When I asked my husband Geoff, if I could have it as birthday gift i was told I could easily make one myself.                                                                                                                     I made a couple of small ones, but always wanted to make a bigger one. When I found a pattern for a very large Elephant I knew it was something I really wanted to do, but where would I put a metre high Elephant, I was living in a lorry on an Olive grove in Rhodes at the time so I didn't do anything more about it.                                                            Then in February 2016 my life was changed forever when I lost my wonderful husband. I moved back to England, turned a bedroom into a workroom for my textile work, and decided "Ellie"( as she was named in my mind at that time) would be born. She would be big and beautiful, modeled on the painted Elephants as they are in the Indian Elephant festivals.   BUT the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became, no animal should be painted, and i  felt that by making Ellie in this way I was supporting something I didn't agree with.                               I thought that maybe I would feel better about it if I used it to raise money for the preservation of Elephants, mainly against ivory poaching. I spend many hours checking charities to support the fight against this barbarous, disgusting trade . There are numerous charities supporting this, but what I found was that the majority of them were supporting African Elephants and other wild life but not so many charities for Asian wild life causes.                                                                                             When I eventually  found WILDLIFESOS- INDIA and read about the brutality and torture endured by Indian Elephants in training for the circus, tourism and begging I knew I had found what I was looking for and knew I had found a reason to make a big textile Elephant.        Except now she is much bigger,  not brightly coloured but a more natural looking grey and her name has changed to Nellie. She will be approx 110 cms high  30 cms deep and 130cms long.                                 She is dedicated to my wonderful husband Geoff, who always encouraged me in my work as a textile artist, she will also represent the legacy of my mum, who taught me to sew, embroider and to find solace in handicrafts - my mums name was NELLIE.  

NELLIE will be at the FESTIVAL OF QUILTS 2017  at the NEC, BIRMINGHAM  10th - 13th AUGUST 2017                                                 

Please help me to fund the release of more Elephants from their horrendous living conditions and the brutality they endure to give them the chance to live their remaining lives in the freedom that is and should be theirs by right.

You can find out more about these magnificent animals and dreadful life in captivity, their rescue by WILDLIFESOS-INDIA, and the love, patience and medical aftercare given once rescued to ensure their lives are as stress free as possible.

NELLIE THE ELEPHANT PACKED HER TRUNK AND SAID GOODBYE TO                                                     THE CIRCUS                 

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