A knit and a yarn for a good cause
Have you got any spare wool tucked up the back of a cupboard? IRT Seaview Knitters and Natters Group could put it to good use.
“When we get a few items together we pack them up and send them off. Different members of the group have connections to different charities.”
The IRT Seaview Knitters and Natters Group is getting down to the nitty-gritty – its members need more good-quality wool. The Good Life caught up with the group on a Monday morning when members come together to knit and have a chat over a cuppa.
“The group’s been established for about 20 years,” says long-time member Helen Martin.
“We help each other out in different ways by sharing our skills and what we know about all sorts of things,” says Dianne McKellar.
The group has eight regular members who come together to knit, crochet and embroider. They donate their knitted items to three charitable causes. Helen says they knit jumpers, scarves and beanies for Samaritan’s Purse, a charity which provides emergency relief and development assistance around the world. The knitted goods make up part of a shoebox, which also includes personal care items and toys for children.
“The last lot of shoeboxes went to Malawi, Madagascar, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Cambodia,” explains Helen.
They also knit baby booties, baby blankets and other items for fundraising stalls to support local Illawarra charity, Community Cancer Link that assists local people impacted by cancer.
The women also knit larger blankets for the homeless and group member Ina Leeflang crochets the blanket squares together. The blankets are given to Member for Keira Ryan Park MP to arrange distribution.
“When we get a few items together we pack them up and send them off,” explains Helen. “Different members of the group have connections to different charities.”
In April the group sent off a large collection of items to various charities so is on the hunt for more wool. “Nothing goes to waste,” says Helen. “We use it all in our knitting.”
If you can help out the Knitters and Natters Group with donations of good-quality wool, like 8-ply, please email editor@irt.org.au or call Helen Martin on 4284 6487.
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