Plea for help to knit socks for patients

MARIE Curie is calling on knitters to make socks for the 229 patients who will be spending Christmas Day in one of its nine hospices.

The charity is hoping the socks will bring some festive cheer to the inpatients at the Cardiff and the Vale Hospice in Penarth, some of whom will be trying to enjoy their last Christmas with their family and friends.

A doctor at the charity began knitting socks for her patients after reading about three sisters who were selling special yarn in aid of the charity.

Dr Sarah Holmes, consultant at the Marie Curie Hospice in Bradford and a keen knitter, said: “Each year we give every patient who is staying at the hospice over Christmas a small gift bag. After reading about a special yarn in Marie Curie colours it sparked an idea – to knit socks using the yarn and then add them to the gift bags on Christmas Day.”

While Sarah had set out on knitting socks for patients at the Bradford hospice she has now taken her challenge nationwide.

She added: “I’m now aiming to give socks to every patient who will be staying in a Marie Curie hospice on Christmas Day but need some help – I need to make 229 pairs in total. I can’t quite believe what I’ve started but it’s really great to see fellow knitters getting involved and sending me socks.”

To buy the special Marie Curie yarn visit www.cityknits.co.uk.

For any would-be knitters who need design inspiration, Dr Holmes has posted a pattern for the socks online at www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ marie-curie-quest-socks

Completed knitted socks can be sent to Smita Mistry, Marie Curie communications department, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP. Or contact Smita by telephoning 020 7091 6650 or emailing smita.mistry@mariecurie.org.uk