One of our Knit and Chat Group members reports, “In 2008 I started knitting for the charity Knit-a-Square Gauteng South Africa.  Knitted squares are sent to a collection of grandmothers (gogos) who sew them together to make blankets.  These gogos come from an extremely vulnerable population who care for their orphaned grandchildren.  The temperature at night drops so much that these blankets are a life saver for these poor unfortunate children.  Some friends and I also knitted jumpers and hats for them.

“I decided to put a free advert in the YOURS magazine asking for left over wool as we were quickly running out. I wrote in January and didn’t hear anything so presumed I wasn’t lucky enough to have it  included. 

“At the end of April my postman started delivering parcel after parcel of wool donated by lovely readers. I was overwhelmed – over the course of the year I must have received over 400 parcels. Where people had included their name and address, I replied thanking them and this led to me having penfriends all over the country!!!

“What I didn’t realise was that the advert had been placed in the souvenir edition of the Lady for William and Kate’s wedding.  This edition was kept in doctor’s surgeries, hairdressers etc. so donations of wool kept coming!!   Such an amazing outcome. 

“Having started the Knit and Chat group, a couple of the ladies wanted something easy to knit so I suggested squares. Well, this has taken off again with friends knitting as well.  It has given our group a project to help these poor children keep warm when temperatures drop!!!”

Please contact our group coordinator Francine if you would also like to be part of this group.