‘Purl’ of an idea
The Fairview wool group was founded by Fairview volunteer Betty Tocock more than 30 years ago and since that time has been knitting and crocheting items for people in need across the world.
The group has donated its work all over the world to people in need. One of the group’s first projects was donating items to victims of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the former Soviet Union. Other projects have included donations of blankets to nursing mothers at a fistula hospital in Ethiopia, beanies and jumpers to people in need in Nepal, dolls for children who lost their homes in in Vanuatu due to Cyclone Pam as well jumpers and blankets for victims of the Black Saturday fires.
Locals and especially children in need are a focus for the group with the ladies producing and donating woollen dolls to the West Gippsland Hospital, the Warragul Foodbank, the Department of Human Services and even the Warragul Police Station.
The group has also knitted beanies, jumpers and blankets for indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
The group not only donates knitted products to people in need but also sells them using the proceeds to buy more wool.
Fairview board member and stanch supporter of the wool group, Sally Jones was on hand to help cut the ribbon marking the start to the week.
Lifestyle manager Maddie Jones said the wool group was a great example of how senior members in our community could still make a significant contribution to society.