Denmead man with brain injury following pool cue accident sees people rally behind him in fundraiser

Melody and Sam Willers have been named as the people behind the mysterious ‘Happy Hens’ which began appearing around the village in 2021 in a bid to bring some joy into people’s lives during a difficult time.

The mother and son duo began with Melody who has always had a love for chickens and sewing – and when she put the two together, she created a master piece and wanted to share her creation with her neighbours.

The 65-year-old began sewing small hens and distributing them all over the area for people to find, but no one knew where they were coming from and so the mystery of the hens began.

She told a small handful of her friends about what she was doing and got them on board to help her find places to leave them for people to find and take home.

SEE ALSO: Bright ‘Happy Hen’ toys mysteriously appearing around Denmead ‘bringing so much joy’ to the community in lockdown

She said: ‘I am chicken crazy, I love chickens, anything chickens and when I was a child minder we used to draw cartoon chickens and in lockdown I just messing around and I drew a chicken and I thought I could sew a chicken like that.

‘We love making them and for some reason everyone goes through things in life but they find them when they need it.

‘I am just a Denmeadian and to me it is just some fabric.’

It started a chicken craze and people were desperately trying to work out who was doing it and it was not until recently that people found out who was making them.

Melody’s son, Sam Willers, was involved in an accident in 2013 where a pool cue went through his eye and hit the back of his skull and despite being given a one percent chance to live, he pulled through.

He began helping his mum create the hens and he fell in love with crafting and wood work, but he was recently admitted back into hospital with a severe case of meningitis where he had to be put on life support.

A family friend decided to set up the GoFundMe page to try and raise some money so that when Sam came out of hospital, he could have a workshop of his own in the garden where he can perfect his wood work skills.

Melody added: ‘It is just crazy how many people have donated. Someone donated £250 and I have never met her before.’

The fundraiser quickly saw people donating, most of whom had been touched by the positivity that Melody and Sam were spreading by hiding the hens, which all come with handwritten notes, around the village.

Sam, who is now back at home, is continuing with the hens and wood work and he has been astounded by the generosity of people.

Since starting, Melody and Sam have created over 800 ‘Happy Hens’ and although people now know who they are, they are going to keep making them.

The page is currently sat on £5,615 and the goal is £7,000 – to donate, click the link.