Levin knitting group donates to charities, including Women’s Refuge and Middlemore Hospital

The group with their 350 flowers they knitted to raise funds for Alzheimer's.

When the 2019 Australian bushfires left many wild birds without homes, a group of retired women in Levin banded together to knit them new nests.

The women, from the MiLife Rosewood Park retirement village, carried on knitting long after the bushfires, through Covid and beyond. Over that time they have knitted countless merino baby vests, booties, hats, blankets and children’s clothes for Starship Hospital.

“It started as a group of knitters that loved what they were doing,” said village manager Linda Cliff.

Cliff said the group, which has grown from just a few in the beginning to about 12 now, enjoy getting together and working on projects which they can then give back to the community.

“They knitted 350 purple flowers to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s walk last year, along with twiddle muffs for dementia patients in various resthomes.”

She said once the group had gathered a box of knitting, they would collectively decide who to gift it to.

Some of the charities they have given their knitting to in the past are Raukawa Whānau Ora, Women’s Refuge, the Salvation Army, Palmerston North Hospice shop, Middlemore Hospital, and most recently St Vincent de Paul Society Baby Assist.

The group of knitters with blankets they have made.

They’ve also sold some of their knitting to raise money for the local food bank and the community health shuttle.

The group also gets support from the wider community, said Cliff.

“We often post pictures on Facebook of what the ladies have knitted, and many people have generously come forward and donated wool to enable them to continue their passion.”

Cliff said there are many benefits to the group – especially social.

She said the women have been able to meet new people within the village, and it’s been good for their brains too.

“For some it has filled a void after losing a loved partner, giving them a purpose to join in with a group who are giving to communities in need. They also love that their minds are active and keeping their finger nimble.”

She said while they are knitting, they share their problems, tell each other what they’ve been doing and “generally have a lovely knit and natter”.

It’s a learning opportunity too – they swap knitting patterns and get help from each other.

But most of all, the women are happy to know their knitting is helping someone in need.

“They get warm fuzzies seeing their garments go off to assist in the community.”