Hats off to care home knit crew!
CREATIVE STAFF AND RESIDENTS GET BEHIND NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
RESIDENTS and staff at a care home are proof of the old expression “if you want to get ahead, get a hat!”
Between now and the end of June, those at Mountview Care Home in Rothley have set themselves the task of knitting 66 miniature bonnets to raise funds for Age UK - that’s one for every bedroom at the dementia and residential care home.
Each of the handmade headdresses will end up atop a bottle of Innocent smoothie or juice as part of the annual The Big Knit campaign.
This is a partnership between Age UK and Innocent drinks, which sees knitters up and down the country take up their needles to craft tiny bobble hats.
For each behatted bottle sold, Innocent will donate 25p to the charity. Since 2003, the annual knit-a-thon has raised more than £3 million for Age UK.
One of the care home’s most dedicated knitters is 97-year-old Joan Peel, who has lived at Mountview, on Loughborough Road, since March 2020.
She said: “I’ve always loved to knit, so why stop? Knitting for charity is giving me even more pleasure, knowing the money raised will make a difference for so many people.
“I’m enjoying keeping my hands busy while chatting with residents.”
Staff at the home, which is operated by Ideal Carehomes, have also been getting involved with the campaign and senior carers, Vicki Willoughby and Yvonne Bayley, have been particularly keen to show off their knitting skills.
Vicki said: “I love everything creative and am enjoying supporting residents to get involved with The Big Knit, as well as casting off my own fun-size caps in my spare time.
“Any excuse really to pick up my knitting needles!
“Over Christmas I knitted two snowmen for a resident to give to her grandchildren and she was overwhelmed. The Big Knit has spurred me on to keep creating.”
Nikky Miles, corporate fundraiser for Age UK Leicestershire & Rutland, said: “We have a target of 74,000 hats and so far we have knitted 58,585, which means that we have to knit another 15,415.
“Knitting hats for Innocent is a great way to fund-raise to support your local Age UK and all this money goes towards providing vital services for local older people.”
A spokesperson from Innocent said: “We wouldn’t be able to run this campaign without knitting legends like the residents at Mountview Care Home.
“A massive thank you for all their hard work.”
The special fund-raising bottles will be in the shops later in the year.