26 Oct 2025
Since it began in 2018, the St Albans Postboxes campaign has raised more than £165,000 for good causes – with this year’s beneficiaries Comfort Cases UK and the Herts Domestic Abuse Helpline.
As always, the team are on the lookout for sponsors – whether that’s organisations, individuals, families, pubs, streets or businesses – and people to help with installing and removing the toppers.
This summer, the Ukrainian community in St Albans had the pleasure of meeting traditional textile artist Viktoriia Lemisheva, who led a hands-on workshop in crafting motanka dolls – symbolic handmade figures deeply rooted in Ukrainian heritage. The event brought together children and adults alike, sparking creativity, connection, and a renewed sense of cultural pride.
Inspired by this gathering, the idea was born to create a unique postbox topper for the festive season. Since arriving in St Albans in 2022, the Ukrainian community has admired the city’s magical Christmas postbox toppers. This year, they felt ready to join the tradition – with a distinctly Ukrainian touch.
Viktoriia is the lead artist behind the project, designing the topper and crafting its centrepiece: a motanka doll, representing feminine strength, protection, and goodwill. Community members are supporting her with decorative elements, carefully adapting traditional materials to suit the British climate.
As motanka dolls are typically made with soft fabric interiors, the team has had to find weather-resistant alternatives to ensure the topper can withstand wind and rain.
“When we arrived in St Albans, we were moved by the beauty and joy of the Christmas postbox toppers. Now it is our turn to give something back,” said Viktoriia. “This project has brought our community together and we are very proud to share a piece of Ukrainian culture with our new home.
“We had to experiment with new materials to make sure our topper could survive wind, rain – maybe even snow!” said community member Iryna, one of the makers. “But Ukrainians are used to adapting and finding solutions. This was no different — just a lot more joyful.”
Clare Suttie, co-founder of the St Albans Postboxes campaign, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our Ukrainian neighbours to the campaign this year. Their topper is not only beautiful, it carries a powerful message of resilience, belonging and cultural pride. It’s exactly what our project stands for – community, creativity and kindness.”
This year also sees a group of Hong Kongers who have recently settled in St Albans coming together to bring a touch of their heritage to the famous postbox toppers.
The group, which has 15 members, began planning their two creations back in May with one clear aim: “to sprinkle warmth and creativity around our community”.
Made mainly from yarn, foam and metal, one topper features a series of iconic Hong Kong landmarks and transport – including the HSBC building, a red bus, and a minibus – lovingly stitched into place. The second topper is all about iconic Hong Kong’s tasty delicacies such as dim sum and egg tart, found everywhere from bustling street stalls to traditional restaurants on the island.
It’s the first time the group has attempted a project like this, and working out the right size and creating bespoke patterns was no small feat. But through monthly meet-ups and regular WhatsApp chats, the team pulled it off.
“Everything has gone quite smoothly, and it’s been great fun working together as we share a common mission – to share a slice of Hong Kong’s heart, and to stitch our stories together in our new home, St Albans,” said Gloria and Cora from the group.
Clare Suttie said: “The Hong Kong group has created something totally unique, combining craftsmanship with cultural pride.
“It’s a beautiful reminder of how creativity can really bring people together.”
Meanwhile, local business Visionary Accountants is marking an incredible seven years of continuous support for the campaign.
Director Tena Wallace said: “We’ve supported St Albans Postboxes every year since 2019 because it’s such a brilliant, feel-good community project.
“It brings joy to everyone – families, businesses, and visitors- all while raising money for local charities that make a real difference.
“It’s a highlight of our festive season, and we’re proud to play a small part in keeping the tradition going. We can’t wait to see our topper for Christmas 2025!”
Clare added: “We’re so grateful to Tena and the whole team at Visionary Accountants for their unwavering support. Sponsors like them encourage us to keep growing the project each year – and their loyalty means even more to the charities who benefit from every penny raised. It’s amazing to have such dedicated local champions behind us.”
To learn more or get involved, visit www.stalbanspostboxes.org.uk
Donations can be made via: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/st-albans-postboxes-2025
Sponsor your own postbox topper: https://airtable.com/app7Sgy9PqkSTgHXq/pagwnaPK65gQaf1wv/form
