Syston Knitting Banxy

If you are wondering why there wasn’t a tribute in Syston this year for remembrance, by SKB, it was because of this project, which we shared on social media in November as it was kept secret until 11th November.
We can now share it with readers who may not have seen what she had created for the secret garden at Glenfield Hospital.
It is an amazing piece of artwork by our very own superstar Syston Knitting Banxy (SKB).

The story behind the piece is very moving. A clipping from the Leicester Journal Friday 19th 1915 read: ‘Private Ball of Loughborough, 8th Leicesters, was wounded on November 3rd 1915 and is now in Cheltenham Hospital. Where he is making good progress. He was buried with others in a dug out, and was unconscious when extricated, and suffers from the shock.
A curious incident is related in connection with a dog. When Private Ball was married this year, a terrier dog came to the church and would not be driven away. The animal awaited the coming of his friend and was in the porch on his emerging with his newly-wedded wife.
Since being in the trenches, it was noticed that a dog was continually coming over from the German lines and following Private Ball. The dog was found buried in the dug-out with the Leicesters, and when extricated was found to be dead.’
It also noted that Pte Ball survived the Great War. The fate of his 8th Battalion comrades could not be established.
This very poignant piece will be kept by the hospital as the part of their secret garden which was itself a convalescent hospital during and after the 1st World War, so it is fitting that this piece of artwork by SKB will remain at the hospital and used in their remembrance garden in future years.
It took SKB over 600 hours to create this amazing piece, which is not only the soldier and the dog, but the bench as well, and explains why she couldn’t take on many other requests.
It is also why we haven’t created a calendar for 2025, but we will look into creating one for 2026.
We want to thank SKB on behalf of the town for all the wonderful toppers and bollard toppers she does to bring a smile and joy to everyone who has the pleasure of seeing them.
Her latest one is at the King Power stadium and part of a display, she believes after the display is taken down the topper will be auctioned off, so look out on her Facebook page for details if this happens.

Our photograph of SKBs Soldier and Dog sitting on a bench.