Project Brighton: Calling all knitters – help make the biggest ever Big Knit for Age UK

Age UK Brighton & Hove is calling on nimble-fingered knitters in East Sussex to get their needles clicking at double the speed to make Age UK and innocent’s Big Knit the biggest event yet.

Now in its 13th year, budding knitters are being challenged to reach a whopping target of two million miniature woolly hats. The colourful creations will adorn innocent smoothie bottles, and for each be-hatted smoothie sold, innocent will donate 25p to help Age UK fund national and local projects that keep older people warm and well in winter.

Jessica Sumner, Chief Officer of Age UK Brighton & Hove, said: “We are calling on local knitters to get as many hats as possible to us. As the smoothie bottles don’t go on sale until October 2017 there’s even more time for knitters to keep sending hats in throughout the summer to help Age UK reach the bumper target.”

Each winter, one older person dies needlessly every seven minutes because of the cold. Every hat donated to Age UK Brighton & Hove will help fund local services such as our Information and Advice Service which provides our clients with advice on coping with winter or our Help at Home service which supports clients and Home Helps.

Last year alone, more than 800,000 hats were lovingly created, with designs including the Wombles and Mr Men, cupcakes, colouring pencils, lots of animals and not forgetting the traditional bobble hat.

Last year alone, more than 800,000 hats were lovingly created

Sim Viney, innocent drinks, said: “We have had such great support for the Big Knit over the years, we are positive knitters across the country will take the challenge to make this year’s event the biggest ever. Even if you’ve never knitted a stich, creating a little hat is a great way to start and won’t take long. We’re massively grateful to everyone who joins in and helps make this year’s campaign a huge success.”

This year, for the first time, people can carry on knitting through the year until Monday 3rd July, which is our second deadline. This way we hope we will reach even more knitters, warm the tops of even more innocent smoothies, and by extension warm the hearts and homes of the local elderly population.

This is a national campaign, and every individual local Age UK has a target to reach by July to qualify for the funds raised – our target is over 3,000, so we need as many of you knitting as possible to help your local service!

If you’re keen to knit but like to do it socially, Age UK hosts a knitting group every fortnight on Tuesdays from 2-4pm. Feel free to pop by, or to get in touch for more information by calling 01273 720603 and asking for Roisin. The next session will be Tuesday 24th January.

For more information on The Big Knit contact Age UK Brighton & Hove on 01273 720603 or email marketing@ageuk-bh.org.uk. Please send completed hats to Age UK Brighton & Hove at 29-31 Prestonville Road, Brighton, BN1 3TJ.

The hat knitting pattern is available to download, to find out more visit: www.ageuk.org.uk/brightonandhove/news–campaigns/the-big-knit-2016/ or pop into our centre at 29-31 Prestonville Road, Brighton, BN1 3TJ to pick up a leaflet.