In the world we live in today, it’s more important than ever to use our skills in a truly positive way by helping those in need. So many charities are calling out for knitted and crocheted items to be donated and quite often they’re incredibly easy patterns that anyone can create with a little practice. Why don’t you make it your aim to spend a couple of hours every week for one of the charities below?
The Big Knit
Grab your knitting needles and help raise money for Age UK. Starting in 2003, the team behind Innocent asked people to knit little woolly hats, which were placed on smoothies. An astonishing 7.5 million hats have been knitted and they’ve raised nearly £2.5 million for Age UK. It couldn’t be easier to take part, simply head to the page of patterns and decide which one you’d like to make. All hats need to be with Innocent by July and you can either post your hats or pop them into your local Age UK.
Project Linus
Project Linus’ aim is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatised, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers. Stuart Hillard makes a quilt every year for Linus and has done since the early 2000s. “I was particularly moved by the fact that many youngsters leave foster care or children’s homes with almost no possessions. A quilt or blanket is a tangible gift which shows someone in crisis that other people are thinking about them.”
Knit For Peace
Knit for Peace believes that knitting and crochet are good for people and as well as being fun and therapeutic, they bring people together and gives a way of helping others in need. The charity needs people to donate warm adult clothes, bed socks, scarves, adult hats and of course large blankets which are then distributed to over 200 outlets, including hospitals, women’s refuges, refugee drop-in centres, prisons, community groups, and hospices as well as to developing countries and refugee camps.
Knitted Knockers
Knitted Knockers aim is very straightforward, they knit and crochet prosthetic breasts for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery,
mastectomy and or radiation treatment. Each Knocker is made with love and filled with hope, and the organisation provides them free of charge to those ladies who need it. Keep an eye out on the Knitted Knockers website or social media pages to see when they’re next looking for volunteers.
Knit For Nowt
Knit-for-Nowt is a charitable service based in Yorkshire which calls for knitters, crocheters and stitchers to create ‘worry puppets’ and ‘worry monsters’, all of which are used by therapists to help children suffering from abuse, neglect, bereavement or other serious problems. The puppets are provided to social care teams around the country to enhance their work with the children. You can find out more on their website, including patterns and details on how to donate yours.
Panda's for Panda's
Panda’s for Panda’s is a campaign launched in conjunction with Cheshire Police to make knitted Panda Bears for their police cars. Their aim initially is for every police car within Cheshire Police to carry two Panda Bears at all times, so if any children are present when the police are in attendance, they will be given a Panda Bear. If you can knit, you can purchase a pack and download the pattern here, then send your Panda’s back to Crafty Stitches.
The Big Tea Cosy
The Big Tea Cosy is Breast Cancer Haven’s national fundraising campaign in support of people affected by breast cancer. They’re encouraging people to host a tea party with friends, family or colleagues from 1st – 31st March 2019 to raise money and awareness so that they can help even more people who have experienced a diagnosis of breast cancer. They’ve also teamed up with LoveKnitting who have created a range of fantastic knitting and crochet patterns that you can purchase online. Keep it, gift it or donate it back to Breast Cancer Haven and they’ll give it to someone going through breast cancer treatment as a sign of comfort and support.
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