Off to Russia with love
Just fill in and return the entry form below, decorate your home or business with Christmas Lights
(or create a Christmas window) at your business to win prizes! To Russia with love has been on ongoing knitting project in Horowhenua for the past 25 years, started by a local couple who adopted two Russian children.
While they were in Russia to meet their children they were dismayed at the state of the many orphanages they visited.
“Depressing and devoid of colour,” they had said at the time.
In response they rallied their neighbours and friends and got them knitting for babies and young children up until the age of five.
Over the years Air New Zealand assisted by allowing those that travelled to Russia an extra 23kg of luggage so knitwear could be taken to Russia at no extra cost.
Currently the knitting group also supplies knitwear for other destinations, such as Uganda, through the Dugdale Trust. Knitters are based anywhere from Feilding and Palmerston to Ka¯ piti and total around 30¯people, including at least one man from Otaki. Many are members of Greypower.
Group member Shirley Roper, who loves knitting so much she produces at least one garment a week, said she had been knitting since she was seven.
The knitters make hats, beanies and tops for small children and have done so for years. Much of their work is very colourful.
Now there is a need to knit for older children.
For information or to donate wool, ring Diane Hemmingsen 3670300.