3 Feb 2025 Community

Tracey Lloyd’s 43 Christmas Jumpers: A Festive Tribute Raising Thousands for The Kirkwood

For most people, Christmas jumpers are a fun seasonal tradition, worn once or twice in December for a bit of festive cheer. But for Tracey Lloyd, a 48 year old dog walker from Scissett, they became much more than that. 

For most people, Christmas jumpers are a fun seasonal tradition, worn once or twice in December for a bit of festive cheer. But for Tracey Lloyd, a 48 year old dog walker from Scissett, they became much more than that. 

Over 43 days, she embarked on a unique fundraising challenge, wearing a different Christmas jumper every day in memory of her close friend Anne-Marie Bell, who died in The Kirkwood's care just two days after her 43rd birthday. 

What started as a light hearted way to make people smile quickly turned into a touching tribute, with Tracey surpassing her original fundraising target of £200 and raising over £1,600 for the hospice, which provides vital support to individuals and families affected by life limiting illnesses.

The idea came from a simple, joyful moment. “It all started with a Christmas jumper. The first year, I just wore one for fun while out dog walking, and it made people smile. The next year, I thought, why not wear one every day and raise a few quid for charity? And from there, it just grew.” Realising how much happiness it brought to those around her, Tracey decided to commit to the challenge properly. “I committed to wearing a Christmas jumper every working day leading up to Christmas. Again, people really enjoyed it, and I realised that this simple, silly thing had the potential to do some good. So, I thought, why not turn it into a fundraiser? If it gets people smiling and raises money for a good cause at the same time, it’s a win, win.”

Tracey’s decision to support The Kirkwood was deeply personal. Anne-Marie had received care there before she died, and the support provided to her and her family left a lasting impression. “When my dear friend Anne-Marie passed away just two days after her 43rd birthday, I wanted to do something in her memory. She loved Christmas, and she found my festive jumpers hilarious. So, I decided to wear 43 different Christmas jumpers for 43 days to raise money for The Kirkwood, which had supported her and her family so much.”

Before her experience with Anne-Marie, Tracey admitted that she hadn’t fully understood the breadth of The Kirkwood’s work. “Like a lot of people, I always thought The Kirkwood was just a hospice, a place where people went for end of life care. I knew they offered respite stays, but I had no idea about all the other services they provide. When Anne-Marie was first admitted, we genuinely thought she was going in for a short stay to help manage her symptoms. None of us expected how quickly things would change.” 

Tracey was particularly struck by the bereavement support that The Kirkwood offered, not just for Anne-Marie’s family, but for herself too: “Even though she was only in the In-Patient unit for 24 hours, the support we received from The Kirkwood was incredible. The staff were there not just for Anne-Marie, but for all of us. After she passed, The Kirkwood reached out to me personally to offer bereavement support. I was blown away by that.”

To make the challenge happen, Tracey had to build an impressive wardrobe of Christmas jumpers, many of which she purchased from The Kirkwood’s charity shops, further supporting the hospice: “I didn't start with 43 jumpers! I had a few, but I picked up more from charity shops, including The Kirkwood’s own shop. I even dressed up as a Christmas cracker and a snowman, it definitely got people’s attention!” 

Her outfits quickly became a talking point in the local community, with people stopping her in the street to ask about them: “It wasn’t just about looking silly, it was about making people smile. Every time I walked through the town in a ridiculous outfit, people would stop me, have a laugh, and when they found out why I was doing it, they were more than happy to donate.”

One of the most memorable moments came when she turned up to see her wedding planner at Bagden Hall Hotel, where she was set to marry her fiancé Mark Lloyd on New Year’s Eve: “She just looked at me and laughed,” Tracey recalled. “But then I think she began to worry that I wouldn’t be wearing a wedding dress on the big day, but I assured her I was!” 

The generosity of the community played a huge part in the success of her fundraising. As well as donations from friends and family, customers at Honley DIY & Pet Supplies, where she helps out, contributed £200. The overwhelming support reaffirmed how much The Kirkwood means to the local area: “The Kirkwood is here to support anyone affected by a life limiting illness, every step of the way. Right now, over 3,000 people in Kirklees are living with an illness from which they will not recover. Your support means The Kirkwood is here for them.”

As Christmas Eve approached, Tracey was close to hitting another milestone: £2,000 raised. However she still needed £140 to reach the total. Then, a surprise donation pushed her over the target, she said: “On Christmas Eve, I saw I was just £140 away from hitting £2,000. Then I got an email, a friend had donated the exact amount. I actually had to pull over and have a little cry. I never expected this, but I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved.”

Looking back on her journey, she is humbled by the impact her fundraiser has had: “At the end of the day, I was just a woman in silly Christmas jumpers, making people smile. But if that’s helped raise money for a charity that makes such a huge difference to families, then it was all worth it.” 

The success of her challenge has inspired her to continue raising money for good causes in the future: “Now, looking back, I’m so proud. The Kirkwood does such amazing work, and if my 43 jumpers for 43 days has helped them continue to support families like Anne-Marie’s, then every bit of it was worth it.”

For those who would like to support Tracey’s fundraising efforts, donations can be made via her JustGiving page HERE. 

Also check out her dog walking business: HERE