Crafty group set to mend harbour wall with knitting!
A GROUP of crafty knitters are attempting to “fix” damage caused to North Berwick’s harbour wall… by covering the gap with a giant piece of knitting!
The harbour wall suffered extensive damage last October when heavy storms hit the county.
Volunteers at North Berwick Harbour Trust (NBHT), which leases the harbour area from East Lothian Council, have been working hard to raise funds to pay for repairs and refurbishment, so far raising more than £40,000.
And the group has been working with local group Yarn Cafe on a new fundraiser for the wall repairs.
Yarn Cafe, which has already participated in several local community projects, was set up by Sandra Nicol, of Chandlers on North Berwick High Street.
The group, which sold knitted wares at Christmas
to raise funds for NBHT, has been working since the beginning of the year to create a 13m-long piece of giant knitting to fill the space.
The original idea came from Yarn Cafe member Philippa Marsden and the group intended to “repair” the wall on April 1 as an
April Fools’ Day joke.
But following discussions with NBHT, the knitted wall is to be unveiled, weather permitting, at 11am tomorrow (Friday) at the harbour and is due to remain there over Easter weekend.
The knitted sections will later be made into blankets
to be donated to charity.
Mrs Nicol said: “The harbour is such an intrinsic part of the town and community, so everyone is very keen to see it back to its former glory and functioning normally as soon as possible.
“In addition, we all have a good time doing our bit.
“With various events around Christmas and since, the group has managed to raise around £850 so far by selling hand-knitted, crocheted and sewn items.
“Wanting to do something more to raise funds but also keep the harbour situation in the public eye, the idea of knitting a wall was born.
“Primarily working with recycled and donated yarn following an appeal on social media, sizes and shapes of blocks knitted have been dictated, to a large extent, by what is available from that selection.”
Judy Lockhart-hunter, NBHT member and vicechair of North Berwick Community Council, said: “The Yarn Cafe have done a great job and I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ve put together.”
Donations to the harbour trust’s fundraiser can still be made via