New kid on the block for St David’s Hospice!

A year on since the announcement of lockdown number one and Great Orme Goat continues to be an animal of fascination and mischief in its hometown of Llandudno.

March 2020 saw the first filming of the goat’s antics which went viral overnight. They roamed the streets of Llandudno and ‘took over the town’.

Local charity, St David’s Hospice, who had all fundraising events cancelled and their charity shops and cafe temporarily closed due to Covid restrictions, took inspiration from the goats and created a bespoke design for a t-shirt, which depicted an image of the goats walking across the Beatles Abbey Rd zebra crossing, connecting it to Abbey Rd the location of the Llandudno Hospice.

Over the summer of 2020, the adult hospice sold over 8000 t-shirts via its online shop, raising £115,000, and hitting headlines across national and international media.

Twelve months on, and the goats are back. This time with more confidence and bravado than the previous Lockdown.

Spring has arrived, the Nanny goats are busy with their newly born young kids, the billy goats are wandering the town again, this time the reaching over two miles away from their home on the town’s headland.

Fundraising continues to be a huge challenge for St David’s Hospice, as the covid restrictions halt plans of mass participation fundraising for 2021, and the temporary shop closures in place for the first three months of this year.

The charity has expanded their Great Orme Goat Merchandise range, now including two new soft toys (a nanny and kid to accompany last year’s Mostyn the goat), a new design of t-shirt plus tea towels, and mugs all with the words ‘Llandudno, Home of the Great Orme Goat’.

Head of Fundraising, Andy Everley said:

“Our local Great Orme goats continue keep us company in the grounds at St David’s Hospice on Abbey Rd, Llandudno.

“They are a joy to see, and we will be forever grateful for the presence of these animals. They are the inspiration for merchandise which continues to raise funds for end-of- life care in North West Wales.

We have responded to our supporters and have introduced lots of new designs to our online shop, along with a new look goat character for all to enjoy.”

Throughout the pandemic, St David’s Hospice clinical team continued to provide 24-hour clinical service alongside emotional, physical and spiritual support free of charge to the people of North West Wales. The money raised from every purchase of the St David’s Hospice Great Orme Goat Merchandise, goes directly to local people in need of end-of-life care and their families.

To browse the shop and buy go to: www.stdavidshospice.org.uk/shop