Wool-I-Am’s biggest fan gets a sweet surprise

Amelia and James sold out of sweets at their fundraider for Ipswich Museum Picture: NICOLE DRURY (Image: Nicole Drury)

Four-year-old James Smith melted hearts with his idea of holding a fundraising sweet stall for Ipswich Museum’s Wool-I-Am.

He turned his idea into reality with the help of his big sister, seven-year-old Amelia, and now the museum have rewarded them for their efforts.

Representatives from Ipswich Borough Council went along to his sweet stall in the park outside Witnesham Primary School, where the duo are both pupils, on Monday afternoon.

The entrepreneurial brother and sister were then given a special gift by Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council’s portfolio holder for museums.

Amelia said: “After we sold the sweets we got given a prize of a baby mammoth.”

James, who has previously asked his mum for a toy mammoth from the museum’s shop, was over the moon when he was presented with his surprise.

Councillor Jones said: “It was fantastic, they laid out their wares and they sold out. James loves the museum so much he wanted to help us.

“He had a queue of children from his school lining up, he was so pleased with how it went he wants to do it every week.”

She added: “We’ve invited them to the museum with their friends to help with Wool-I-Am’s annual spring clean.

“The sweet stall is such a lovely idea that came to James, such a wonderful kind thing that shows the best of human nature.”

We want children to visit the museum and learn to love it. We welcome children from Ipswich and all around the area, if they come along to the museum we guarantee they will have a lovely time.”

Mum Faye Woollard said they raised more than £50. She hopes that the sweet stall inspires more children at the school to fundraise for the museum. She also thanked Asda and Lidl who donated the sweets.

Speaking before the fundraiser Faye said: “James often talks about the mammoth and first went to see it when he was a baby, we have been going regularly ever since.”