If knitting conjures up images of an old lady falling asleep in a rocking chair with a ball of wool in her lap, you’d be very much mistaken! At McCarthy & Stone’s Risingholme Court development in Heathfield, the ‘knit and natter’ club is a weekly highlight on the social calendar, giving like-minded residents a chance to get creative, have a good chat – and support some very deserving causes.
The group, which meets every Wednesday, was formed by accident 12 months ago. There is a communal residents’ lounge at the development where people can meet up and socialise. Two residents brought along their knitting one day and it sparked the idea to set up the club. They’ve been knitting together ever since!
They all work at different speeds and varying abilities so everyone just does as much or as little as they like. In fact, some of the non-knitters even come and join them just to enjoy the company of other residents!
Over the last year, the club has gone from strength to strength, with over 15 regular knitters, and what started out as an excuse to get together once a week to knit and chat, has now grown to become an opportunity to support worthwhile causes, both home and abroad.
As much as they all love to knit, there are really only so many scarves and woolly hats that one person needs! It was decided to put their knitting to good use. They found out about a charity called KISIIZI, an African mission hospital where women go to have their babies. When they leave, they are given a blanket and a jumper for their newborn. They help the missionary by knitting the blankets and jumpers and then sending them out to Uganda. It’s wonderful to know that so many families will be benefiting from something that really, to them, is an enjoyable hobby.
The ‘knit and natter’ club also looks for charities at home to support and this year, they chose the premature baby unit at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings, and Cancer Research UK.
They knitted blankets for the hospital and just last week, they held a sale of their knitted items in the residents’ lounge at Risingholme Court and raised £160 for Cancer Research.
Unfortunately, now they are running out of wool! They have just received a kind donation from McCarthy & Stone but any donations would be gratefully received – and will be in support of some very deserving causes!
Anyone who would like to donate some wool to the ‘knit and natter’ club at Risingholme Court can do so by visiting the show complex on the High Street in Heathfield, open Tuesday to Saturday.
Risingholme Court is an Assisted Living development comprising 47 one and two bedroom apartments in the rural town of Heathfield, within easy distance of the South Downs and the Weald. Designed exclusively for people over the age of 65 who need a helping hand with daily life, Assisted Living from McCarthy & Stone provides a real alternative by bridging the gap between conventional retirement developments and residential care.
See Also: Property News (5994), Risingholme Court (2), McCarthy and Stone (109), Heathfield (6), Assisted Living (13), KISIIZI (1)
Date Published: 04 January 2010
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