Europe’s oldest Scissor Manufacturer raises over £2000 for YWCA Yorkshire 

A charity raffle, held by big hearted South Yorkshire scissor manufacturer Whiteley, has raised £2020 for women, children and families. 

In a bid to raise funds for YWCA Yorkshire, Whiteley created an exclusive scissor, handcrafted and manufactured in their Sheffield factory. The bespoke design and markings celebrated the strength and resilience of women.  Hundreds of people from across the world made donations to YWCA Yorkshire and were entered into a prize draw for the one-of-a-kind 12” Tailors Shear. 

The winner was announced this summer, and the shears were shipped to New South Wales Australia to the delight of their new owner.  This week, the charity team from YWCA Yorkshire attended the historic Whiteley factory at Rother Valley, to receive the cheque and thank supporters for their generosity. 

Money raised by Whiteley will benefit women, children and families who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, relationship breakdowns and financial hardship in South Yorkshire, England.   

YWCA Yorkshire works directly with some of the most vulnerable and the most resilient communities in the region, supporting parents to create better futures for themselves and their children.  

The oldest scissor maker in the western world, Whiteley has a global reputation for the craftsmanship and innovation of precision blades. The custom-made scissor designed and crafted in support of YWCA Yorkshire, featured handles colour-matched to the charity’s iconic house-purple, a gold-plated bolt, and was finished with the Whiteley crest, stamped using a newly commissioned tool made by fellow Sheffield company, Pryor Marking Technology. The shear was individually stamped “1 of 1” using an original Pryor hand-stamp set from the Whiteley archives. 

The much-valued collaboration with Whiteley will aid YWCA Yorkshire deliver vital support as the charity strives to meet the growing demands for its services. 

YWCA Yorkshire Chief Executive Diane Offers, said: “It has been fantastic to partner with Whiteley whose heritage, craft and quality is world-renowned. The shear they crafted is iconic because it celebrates the strength and resilience of women, children and families right here in South Yorkshire. 

The money raised by Whiteley will help us provide specialist trauma-informed support to vulnerable families and we’re incredibly grateful to the Whiteley team and all those who donated for choosing us and for believing in our mission to create better futures for women, children and families.” 

Whiteley Sales & Marketing Manager Jade Shemwell, said: “It has been our pleasure to partner with YWCA Yorkshire, and we are passionate about supporting them to deliver real change in our local communities. Our business is steeped in the blade-making heritage of our region and celebrates the precision, quality and endurance of our craft. At the heart of what we do, is people - local craftspeople who have been making shears in South Yorkshire for generations. When we got the opportunities to support YWCA Yorkshire and the work they do with families around our factory, we jumped at the chance.” 

YWCA Yorkshire work with 800 people in South Yorkshire each year. The charity provides safe accommodation and specialist services supporting people up and out of difficult and sometimes un-safe, situations. Local businesses, faith, and community groups, can partner with YWCA Yorkshire to help create real change in local communities by contacting sophie.barnett@ywcayorkshire.org.uk