Bringing Christmas peace - a temper tantrum calming doll!

Date published: 10 December 2009

AN ALTERNATIVE to the ‘naughty step’ is proving a big hit with shoppers in Rawtenstall – the Dammit Doll. 

Market trader Kevin Edmondson came up with the idea for his anger management doll from his late mother Shirley. 

“She told me that when she was a young girl she had a rag doll that she used to use whenever she was upset and angry,” he said.
“She would throw it around and bang it on the floor until she had got rid of all her aggression and calmed down. When she died last year I remembered about it and now I have the market stall I decided to make some up and they proving are very popular and an ideal Christmas present. 

“They have been selling like hot cakes and people keep on coming back to buy more.
“In these days of recession and money worries people have a lot of stress but not always an outlet for it – this doll allows anyone, adults as well as children, to get their aggression out in a harmless but effective way. I use one of the dolls myself.” 

Kevin,45, who lives with partner Neil Burke in Stacksteads, returned to the Valley after 15 years in Manchester and said it was the best move they could have made,
Now thanks to a government initiative Inbiz, through the Job Centre, he is on a supported programme to set up the business but will be going it alone from January. 

Besides the dolls, he also sells hand-made fairies in jars, rabbits and traditional teddy bears, all carefully hand-painted making each one unique. 

The Dammit Dolls have spawned the Wringit Doll, a smaller and more portable anger management system, which is ideal for toddlers. 

He added: “I was always very close to my mum, we were good friends and I was honoured to have known her. This is kind of her legacy.” 

Kevin has an indoor stall on Rawtenstall Market on Thursdays and Saturdays and can be contacted by emailing legendsofrossendale@yahoo.co.uk