A herd of wild goats in Wales that roamed a town’s empty streets during lockdown has helped a hospice raise more than £120,000 ($154,924) through merchandise sales. The white Kashmiri goats were spotted in Llandudno town centre in March after the UK went into lockdown to curb the coronavirus, and around 150 wild goats are said to be in the Great Orme headland, overlooking the Welsh town. The herd gained international attention and inspired the town’s local hospice to make goat merchandise, including cuddly goat toys, mugs and t-shirts. St David’s Hospice has been beset with financial difficulties since the beginning of the pandemic, as 86 per cent of its funding comes from the public. Lockdown also stopped the hospice from taking cash donations. But the hospice has been helped out by selling goat gifts all over the world, including in Australia, Canada and Japan. “Without the boost that we got from the goats and all the interest we got from the goats, we wouldn’t be where we are now,” said hospice matron Glenys Sullivan. “We wouldn’t be trying to develop new services. We wouldn’t be able to go out and develop Hospice At Home, those virtual beds, because they don’t come cheap,” she added.
