The founder of a charity set up to raise funds for research into sudden cardiac death has been busy selling off craft items she no longer needs in Melbourn to drum up cash for the cause.

Julie Emmerson from Royston started the The Nicola Emmerson Trust after her daughter died suddenly in 2007 while out celebrating her 20th birthday.

She held the ‘de-stash sale’ at Melbourn’s Community Hub on Saturday – and crafters came from far and wide to check out the wool and other items, and to help boost the cash total.

Julie said: “Thank you to everyone who made the de-stash sale a great success.

“Over the past 18 months I have been purchasing all sorts of items and had loads of crafty ideas and my summer house was beginning to look like a shop with so much stock!

“Unfortunately working full time I will never have enough time to knit, sew or create and use the stock that I have built up.

“As I belong to the Yap and Yarn group who meet up fortnightly at the hub – and have a great rapport with all the team there – I approached the hub manager Sharon Bridgeman and asked if i could hold the sale with all proceeds would go to The Nicola Emmerson trust.

“We raised more than £500. I still have so much wool, material and other crafty bits and bobs that I am planning on having another de-stash in October.” The charity’s funds go towards Cambs-based Papworth Hospital’s research into Sudden Cardiac Death in young people, and it is the only charity helping to fund research specifically for cases involving those aged under 35.

For more go to www.thenicolaemmersontrust.co.uk