This Wigan man has spent years crafting hundreds of stunning walking sticks. Now he wants to sell them for charity

A Wigan pensioner wants to sell his incredible collection of handmade walking sticks in a bid to raise money for good causes.
Frank Walton and his collection of walking sticksFrank Walton and his collection of walking sticks
Frank Walton and his collection of walking sticks

Since retiring, Frank Walton’s passion in life has been painstakingly crafting walking sticks from a variety of materials and featuring an array of stunning designs, from animals like birds and horses, to Queen’s Guards and famous faces.

But the 87-year-old has built up such a vast collection that he no longer has room for them all in his sheltered accommodation.

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His collection has become so vast that he had already called on his two daughters to take in some of them.

Frank Walton and his collection of walking sticksFrank Walton and his collection of walking sticks
Frank Walton and his collection of walking sticks

So the Standish craftsman has decided the time has finally come to let go of his vast collection, by selling them to raise cash for charity.

Frank has been keeping himself busy making the sticks for nearly three decades, having retired in his late fifties following a working life which comprised several careers.

He became a blacksmith straight out of leaving secondary school, before enlisting in the army as a physical instructor.

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He then began life as a miner after leaving the forces, before moving on to the construction industry.

Frank Walton's collection of walking sticksFrank Walton's collection of walking sticks
Frank Walton's collection of walking sticks

Frank’s daughter Linda Moorfield said: “He’s made them all himself.

“He used to go out collecting the wood by himself, then would clamp them and straighten them.

“Sometimes they can take a couple of years to straighten! Then he’d carve them.

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“Sometimes he even had orders, people would ask him to make one for them.

“He also used to give demonstrations at country shows, on how to make the sticks.

“There are hundreds of them, made with antlers, bone, wood, etc. He’s got a good variety.

“They’re all just sitting in his apartment and he just wants to raise some money through them now.

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“He just wants to give them to a good cause, whether that’s raffling them off, or selling them, or whatever.

“There are plenty of options.

“He did donate a couple to a Lourdes charity once, so that might be something to do again.”

Linda added: “It’s been a lifelong hobby of his.

“He’s always been into woodwork and craftwork.

“He used to make endless toys for us - stilts, go-karts, dolls houses. So he’s always been into making things.

“He used to go out walking, and always had a little knife to cut up sticks, take them home and straighten them out.

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“It was something to keep him busy, but he’s not getting out and showing them off like he used to so he doesn’t need them all.”

Frank is still considering the best way to raise money with his sticks and the cause to which he will donate any funds raised, but is determined to put them to good use.

Anyone interested in any of Frank’s sticks can contact Wigan Today on 01942 506283 for more details.

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