"A quilt is a hug," says Gayle Pearson, ESOL literacy tutor at English Language Partners, "and some of my learners can really benefit from a hug."
Last Thursday, members of the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild presented 47 handmade quilts and two crocheted baby rugs to ESOL students at the Hamilton Migrant Resource Centre.
The ESOL students are the folks Gayle Pearson fondly refers to as her "learners". They are newcomers to New Zealand - migrants and refugees from many countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Laos and Myanmar, who are students of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
The quilts were gratefully received, as many of the migrant and refugee families are in particular need of warmth this winter as Hamilton has been delivering record cold temperatures.
Belinda vander Vossen, Community Quilts coordinator at the Waikato Patchworkers and Quilters Guild, said the donation of quilts to charities in the community is something the members do regularly throughout the year. However, it's not often she is able to personally present the quilts to a recipient group.