Rapt by love and ukuleles
Age: Three! Favourite TV show? Favourite game? What do you like to get up to most?
mummy
Take my hat off ones
A superhero
Superheroes
Play hide and seek in a boat Climb up the wall with my feet
What makes you happy?
Playing with my
What is the naughtiest thing you’ve done? What would you do if you were the boss at home? Play at home all day What is your favourite food? Veggies! Green What do you want to be when you grow up?
RATHER than wasting her time in lockdown, Dubbo lady Bernadette Donoghue has been whiling away the hours doing something very important for others.
She is one of many volunteers actively giving their time across the Dubbo area who will be celebrated as part of National Volunteer Week from May 18-24.
As the coordinator of Dubbo’s local Wrap with Love group, she has been busy knitting squares which are then sewn together to make wraps for those in need.
With a promise of ‘people caring about people’, the organisation has been operational since 1992 and was founded in Sydney by the late Sonia Gidley King.
Locally, Mrs Donoghue has been involved for the past 15 years, with the wraps distributed to more than 40 countries around the world during times of crisis or disaster.
“They are sent to Sydney and go to countries in crisis such as PNG, Afghanistan, Cambodia, East Timor, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Syria, Thailand, Tonga and the Ukraine.”
In Australia, they are donated to those who are homeless, asylum seekers, refugees, nursing homes, grief groups, youth organisations, flood and fire victims and other needy people.
“Sonia Gidley King saw the plight, whenever there’s a catastrophe such as bushfires and floods,” Mrs Donoghue said.
“They are very colourful and warm. It’s nice and it goes to a lot of people. It can be used for everything. It’s comforting and multi-purpose.”
Her own interest stemmed from being saddened by the loneliness of a migrant woman she saw helping others despite her own situation.
It’s now a big part of Mrs Donoghue’s life, particularly since self-isolation began.
“I’ve always knitted, my mother was a knitter and crocheter who had six children.
“I started a craft group at St Brigid’s Church 12 years ago. There are about 20 of us knitting or crocheting squares. It’s a lovely, handy hobby to have – it fills in a lot of time,” Mrs Donoghue explained.
Their oldest member was 101 and knitted until she couldn’t do it anymore. One of the ladies also commits to making 365 squares each year.
“We’ve made 2000 squares in the group. I’ve made a lot but I’ve never counted them.”
They recently received a Local Government community grant of $500 and used it to buy bags of wool.
“We used to meet every week, and we still keep in touch. It will be nice to get back.”
Another skill Mrs Donoghue has