Age UK in Bath & North East Somerset is asking local people to get knitting to raise funds for essential local services across the surrounding area.
For over a decade, knitters across the country have been supporting Age UK and innocent’s Big Knit campaign by knitting little woolly hats.
Last year in Bath and North East Somerset almost 2,000 hats were knitted, raising £500 to help run the charity’s activities.
This year the target locally is 3,000 hats by the November 10 deadline.
The hats are put onto innocent smoothies and, for each one sold, 25p is donated to Age UK. The money raised is used to help older people stay warm and healthy, especially through the winter months.
Three enthusiastic knitters have already set the bar high. Nora Gee, aged 93, from Bath, who knitted 100 hats for the campaign last year has already sent in 60 and another lady has also brought in 84.
Janine Woodward-Grant is planning on running knitting events at local pubs and at The Carers’ Centre in Bath where she works.
“I’m really excited about being able to combine my love of knitting with a truly great cause,” she said.
“The fact so many older people suffer in the UK each winter is a tragedy. If I can help in some small way by knitting some hats, then I’m in! Every hat counts.”
Janet Dabbs, Age UK B&NES’ chief executive, said: “We’re so grateful to local people for supporting The Big Knit and it’s wonderful that people are already sending hats in.
“We aim to have 3000 miniature hats knitted by November 10, to raise money to help run services like our Winter Warmth project.”
Nationally it is estimated that as many as 24,000 older people die needlessly because of the cold every winter. Many others are lonely and isolated, unable to heat their homes and struggling to get out and about.
To inspire knitters, organisers have also come up with 12 hat patterns, which will be worn by 1 million smoothie bottles across the UK.
And for the less crafty, there is an even simpler way of helping fundraise by using social media. You can design a ‘virtual’ hat and share it on Facebook or Twitter and for every hat shared, Innocent will donate 10p to Age UK.
To download a knitting pattern or for more information about using social media to raise funds visit www.thebigknit.co.uk. You can also call Age UK B&NES on 01225 466135 or email [email protected] for patterns or more information.
Please send completed hats to 18 Kingsmead Square, Bath, BA1 2AE along with a note stating the date, your name, and your address.
