When Paddy Bingham asked for a chainsaw as a wedding anniversary present seven years ago, little did he know that it would be put to such good use.
Since then, the chainsaw has carved countless amazing wooden sculptures including reindeer, snowmen and owls, which has raised £76,000 for good causes.
In recent weeks, Paddy and wife Lizette have handed over a cheque for £4,000 to the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust – the charity set up by the late daughter of Rangers legend, Willie Henderson.
Paddy and Lizette are members of Livingston Rotary near Edinburgh, and Lizette is serving as club President this year.
Over the years, they have also been able to support the work of Muscular Dystrophy, Myeloma UK, CLIC Sargent, CHAS, the West Lothian Prostate Cancer Support Group and Alzheimer’s Scotland.
Lizette explained that the idea for the sculptures came from a visit to a West Lothian garden centre.
She said: “We were walking around a garden centre, and they had some wooden reindeer. I thought they were ugly and said we could do better – and, one day, Paddy did.
“We ended up giving around 16 or 17 of them out to friends and family that Christmas, and thought that was probably it.
“But then before the next Christmas we had people getting in touch asking if they could buy them off us. We thought we could sell them for charity, and it’s gone from there.”
The focus of their fund-raising has been the Rudolph Project – beautifully carved wooden Rudolph the reindeer, which have proved a particularly popular seller around Christmas time. And each year, money raised from the sale of Rudolph goes to charities.
In recent weeks, Paddy and wife Lizette have handed over a cheque for £4,000 to the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust.”
“Over the six years of its existence, the Rudolph Project has gradually evolved to meet identified needs within our community,” explained Lizette.
“At first, we made one size of Rudolph but, at the request of friends and customers, we gradually made a range of sizes including ‘Baby Rudi’, which tends to be bought for older family members who have down-sized and are living on their own
“We had a lovely 90-year old tell us last year ‘Rudi is too nice to go outside and it’s too cold for him. I keep him by the fire, talk to him all the time, and he does not need to be fed or taken for a walk’.”
Paddy and Lizete have carved countless amazing wooden sculptures including reindeer, snowmen and owls, which has raised £76,000 for good causes.
Besides reindeer, the Binghams have also carved snowmen to raise funds. In 2016, the couple decided to support the charity SANDS Lothian, which supports bereaved parents who have lost babies.
“From about the same time, the owl emerged as a request from Harry Potter fans, with children looking for a Christmas present for their teachers,” added Lizette.
In 2018, the couple worked with Macmillan Cancer Support, and for the last two years they have organised a workshop entitled ‘Make your own snowman’ with a Cancer Support Group in Bathgate.
They also run a variety of workshops for youth clubs and school autism units.
I’m quite new to Livingston, but it’s funny because I think people now know me as Mrs Rudolph.”
This Easter 2020, the Binghams were planning to produce a course called ‘Build your own Easter bunny’ for a group of adults with severe learning difficulties, in support of a Parkinson’s charity.
Lizette added: “The communities round Livingston have really taken Rudolph and his pals to their hearts, demand rises every year and we have been asked to get more involved with community groups.
“In 2019, the Air Force Cadets Squadron in Bathgate set up assembly lines to produce completed Snowmen from packs prepared by Paddy and this allowed them to achieve a community award.
The communities round Livingston have really taken Rudolph and his pals to their hearts, demand rises every year and we have been asked to get more involved with community groups.
“In 2020 we will be working with a local Boys Brigade group again to enable them to achieve a community award.”
Lizette worked in education for much of her career while Paddy spent decades working in the care industry, and as a nurse with the army – so neither have a woodworking background.
All sculptures are made in their garage at home, and Lizette added: “I’m quite new to Livingston, but it’s funny because I think people now know me as Mrs Rudolph. Or from the Rudolph Project.”
