With a Sharpened Pencil and a Big Heart: Hercule’s 12 Days of Christmas Fundraising Hit

January 2026

Hercule Van Wolfwinkle sharpened his pencils in the run-up to Christmas and, once again, turned creativity into something truly special with his 12 Days of Christmas fundraiser. Across the first twelve days of December, Hercule served up festive goodies galore, giving supporters the chance to win a prize every single day, building towards a top-tier finale featuring one of his highly coveted Pet Portraits.

Prizes ranged from notebooks and jigsaws to clothing and Limited Edition prints, with the excitement growing day by day. All Hercule asked in return was for people to buy a ticket (or two). The response was incredible. Over the twelve days, the campaign raised a staggering £10,000.

Hercule first catapulted to fame in 2020 when he went viral with his now-legendary “For Sale” Facebook post, offering his “ultra-realistic” drawing skills for a modest “£299 ono, no VAT.” What began as a tongue-in-cheek post quickly turned Hercule into an international sensation. Over the last five years he has channelled that spotlight into a series of imaginative fundraising challenges. Along the way, he has received national recognition for raising awareness of homelessness, including being awarded a Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister.

Thanks to Hercule’s unwavering commitment, and the generosity of those who continue to support his work, his fundraising journey has now raised more than £470,000, all shared between Turning Tides and StreetVet. Once again, Hercule has shown that a sharp pencil, a big heart and a brilliant idea can make a real and lasting difference.