A vision in wool

Local resident, Sid Peachey (pictured with Mayor, Ronnie Murphy) has been busily working his knitting needles to produce this fantastic blanket in support of Hamlin Fistula UK.

Following the call from members of the Wool Fair Committee a few months ago, Mr Peachey began knitting squares to be made up into a shawl for the only UK charity exclusively supporting the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.

Those attending the hospital are often very poor and malnourished. Hamlin Fistula UK provides individual shawls which are given to hospital patients that they then take home with them to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.

Thanks to help from his friends, Mrs Kath Roe, Mrs Oakey and Mrs Marion Smith, who sewed the individual squares together, Mr Peachey was able to present the shawl to Ronnie Murphy, who said “I am thrilled to receive this wonderfully bright shawl on behalf of the Wool Committee. We will ensure it gets sent to Hamlin Fistula UK and on to someone in need in Ethiopia.”

There is still time to get knitting to support this charity. The guidelines are that squares should be knitted in garter stitch using double knitting wool and UK no 8 (4mm) needles. The squares will need to be stitched together to make shawls of approximately 36 inches by 48 inches, although the stitching can be done by friends and committee members if needed.

Please drop your brightly coloured squares in at New Clark House or for more information, call 01608 662180.