The draughts woman

SALLY PHILLIPS IS THE CREATOR OF CHIMNEY SHEEP, MAKING WOOL DRAUGHT EXCLUDERS AND LOFT INSULATION

Herdwick wool is often burnt by farmers because they don’t get much for selling it. The sheep have wiry fleeces, enabling them to survive on mountains in harsh winters. This makes the wool unsuitable for clothes, but great for draught exclusion and loft insulation. I came up with the idea for Chimney Sheep – a wool draught excluder that you insert into the chimney – ten years ago. I was running the bat helpline for Natural England and callers kept reporting that bats had flown down their chimneys. It made me realise that an open chimney is like having a window open.

Wool insulation absorbs volatile organic compounds (VOCS) found in cleaning products and paint*, which can cause headaches. Some, like formaldehyde, may even cause cancer. Wool also stores excess moisture, helping to manage damp. And it’s flame-resistant, so safer than many synthetic alternatives.

Alongside draught excluders and insulation, we now make wool mulch mats, shoe insoles and seed-growing kits. The business has expanded by about 30 per cent each year and has ten employees. Last year, we collected 20 tonnes of Herdwick wool from 22 farms. It feels good to rescue fleeces. chimneysheep.co.uk