Help Nana pull wool over eyes children in need
SITTING in front of the box watching Countdown, Knit Knit Nana races through yet another brightly coloured jumper destined for Africa.
Over the past 30 years Maureen Parkinson – as she is more commonly known – has knitted more than 3,000 jumpers for children across the world for the charity Feed the Children.
The 82-year-old spends every spare minute knitting, using up odd bits of wool that people have given her, making sure nothing is wasted.
But the grandmother from The Saltings at Langstone has – quite literally – come to the end of the line and run out of wool. And now she is appealing for people to send her their leftovers.
She said: 'I've been knitting since I was a little girl. I think it was my mother who taught me.
'I'm just one of those people who cannot sit still and I always need to be doing something with my hands.
'Knitting is perfect for me and I like to do it while watching quizzes – especially Countdown.'
Mrs Parkinson's grandchildren call her their Knit Knit Nana because she is never without a pair of knitting needles in her hands.
She has had to down tools recently because she came to the end of three huge bags of wool donated to her by members of local churches.
'It doesn't matter what type of wool, any leftover bits that aren't needed,' she said. 'I like to knit the jumpers in lots of brightly coloured stripes so that they are jolly and gay for the children to enjoy.'
It takes Mrs Parkinson a week to knit a jumper and they are picked up every so often from a Feed the Children co-ordinator on Hayling Island and then shipped to countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Brian Main from Feed The Children said: 'The knitted items Mrs Parkinson has so lovingly made have and do make a difference to children living in poverty.
'People often ask why we send knitted jumpers and blankets to hot countries in Africa.
'The answer is simple – should you or I go on holiday to Africa the few degree drop in temperature at night would be very pleasant, but too badly malnourished children the drop in temperature of just a few degrees could see the onset of hyperthermia and death. These jumpers are truly life savers.'
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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