Woolly thinking raises charity cash
THE SIMPSON’S Memory Box Appeal (Simba) held a 12-hour knit-a-thon in Oban on Saturday.
This was in aid of gathering as many knitted and crocheted items as possible to enable the charity to keep up with the growing demand for memory boxes, which are gifted to hospitals free of charge to be given to bereaved parents grieving the loss of a baby.
Every box contains two teddies, one for the baby to take to their resting place and another for the parents to keep.
Also included are blankets, hats, bootees and mittens, as well as a little knitted angel or butterfly.
For smaller babies who are lost during gestation, they also include ‘nests’ that baby can snuggle in to enable families to spend time with them before saying goodbye.
Susan Simpson, the Highlands ambassador for the charity, said: ‘I’m over the moon at the volunteers who came along and we have decided to have a regular meet to swap materials, ideas and enjoy the social aspect of #Knit4SiMBA. I’m excited to see this take off.’
Sami Thomson, a recipient of a memory box, added: ‘The wee knitted teddies were brilliant. We got a pink one and a blue one knitted and kept a white one we got in the box. We put the blue in Rudi’s coffin and gave his sister the pink one so that we can always have our little reminder.
‘And getting the hand and footprints meant we managed to have our boy’s little fingers and toes tattooed on us for life.’
Lynne Bannan, who also received a box, said: ‘Findlay’s memory box is one of our most treasured possessions. Although our arms were empty, having his hand and footprints meant part of him would always be with us. The tiny teddies are a reminder of how small and precious our baby will always be.’
Donations of knitting are still coming in but Ms Simpson is confident the charity will reach its target of 1,000 items.
It also held a raffle that raised £183 for the charity.