CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Cast Knit For Woolly Hat Day!

A group of avid knitters formed of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cast members have been knitting hats to support St Mungo's Woolly Hat Day (Friday 31 January) when the charity asks people to put their hats on for homeless people.

The knitters, Michelle Bishop who plays Mrs Pratchett, Oompa-Loompa Sherrie Pennington, and Kate Graham who plays Cherry, have been knitting every minute between scenes for the last two weeks and have made dozens of hats between them.

Michelle said: "We fill every spare second with knitting and can often be found with wool and needles in hand. We often have time to knit in between scenes and have been busy on our hats for two weeks now. Working and performing every day in London we are aware that homeless people are in need of our support and were all really driven to support Woolly Hat Day. It is a great event and it's important to show our support for this important cause, especially when it's so cold outside."

Now in its fourth year, Woolly Hat Day sees hundreds of people donning beanies, baseball caps and berets to help St Mungo's raise money for its work supporting homeless men and women.

This year St Mungo's has a new fundraising target of £50,000, which would make a real difference to vulnerable people, and there are lots of ways for people to take part.

St Mungo's provides accommodation to 2000 people each night in one of 200 projects across London and the South. Started in London in 1969, the charity now supports thousands of men and women each year through housing, health and work.

You can get involved in Woolly Hat Day by:

• Bidding in the online celebrity hat auction for a famous piece of headgear (open until Sunday 2 February atwww.ebay.co.uk/woollyhatday)
• Wearing your bobble hat with pride in return for a small donation
• Text WOOL14 and either £2, £5 or £10 to 70070
• Following us on Facebook (StMungosUK) or Twitter @StMungos

Tanya English, Fundraising and Communications Director at St Mungo's, said: "The fantastic efforts by the knitting group at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will help St Mungo's work in London to support homeless people rebuild their lives. We would like to thank everyone who takes part in Woolly Hat Day, which is a fun and inspirational day to help homeless people."

The show, directed by Sam Mendes, and performed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, is currently booking until May 2015.