Mission to make more kids happy
PINE CONE REINDEER CREATOR SET OUT TO SPREAD FESTIVE CHEER
THE creator of tiny pine cone reindeer that have been appearing in city parks has explained why she set out on her mystery mission to delight.
Klára Simándi was revealed to be the person behind the models by her daughter in the Mercury’s Mailbox on Christmas Eve.
She placed them in Castle Park, Bede Park, Jubilee Square and Town Hall Square for children to find and take home.
The retired teacher, 73, who lives on her own in the centre of the city, decided to put the extra time she has on her hands to good use.
Klára, who made Leicester her home after her daughter Indila moved to the city from their native Hungary for work, said: “I always cherished spending time with children, including my own children, my foster children, my grandchildren and, of course, my students.
“I have been running a little activity group every Saturday morning for Hungarian children here in Leicester for years. However, I am not able to meet them due to the coronavirus.
“Originally, I created and sent all the children in the activity group some little reindeer, but I still had plenty of pine cones left and that gave me the idea for a secret mission to make even more children happy.
“I was always so pleased to see the reindeer disappear by the following day. I hid them in secret but easy to discover places.
“I do hope that all the reindeer have found some loving homes.”
Indila, who lives in Glenfield, moved to Leicestershire more than 20 years ago to work as a specialist at the Steps Conductive Education Centre, in Loughborough, which helps children with cerebral palsy and other motor disorders of the nervous system to maximised their potential.
“I am so proud of my mum,” she said. “The times are so difficult for everyone, especially people living on their own and missing seeing loved ones face to face and longing for a warm hug.
“So her choosing to bring a smile to children’s faces to keep up her spirits is admirable.
“My partner collected all the fallen pine cones in our garden, thinking Mum might make some decorations. We never imagined her designing little reindeer and hiding them in parks.
“It is so heartwarming to think my mum’s cheeky creativity can offer some happiness to the children of Leicester.”