Feeling useless when watching the suffering in Ukraine?
At the July monthly meeting of Winslow WI, a member told us of an e-mail she had received asking for help from the charity Hope and Aid Direct which was collecting 8” knitted squares to make in to blankets to be sent to Ukraine. “Wouldn’t it be good” she said “If Winslow WI could knit enough squares to make a blanket?” At the next meeting it was obvious that the WI had enough already to make up two blankets. We were told that such had been the response to the appeal that there was a shortage of volunteers to crochet the squares together so three of our members were taken off knitting and set to crochet. Stashed wools were gathered together and charity shops stripped bare of wool. Conversations among friends and relatives and fellow passengers on buses resulted in more and more squares coming in from other craft groups and organisations in the town. Amazingly a box of new balls of wool was posted from Ireland as a contribution!
We learned that 37 blankets had already been delivered packed in banana boxes and we were shown pictures of the recipients in the windowless shells of their homes wrapped up in colourful blankets --- further encouragement to the knitters. In November Winslow handed over six blankets and a further seven are joining the load going out to Ukraine before Christmas. An appreciative letter of thanks has come from the charity.
We are still knitting because it is something we can do to help others facing a winter of cold and danger: it puts into perspective our own grumbles at having to turn down the heating a notch or two in homes that have roofs and even windows and doors.
Thanks to all our knitters. You are doing a wonderful job.