September is the month that we celebrate all the knitters and crocheters out there who tirelessly make items for charities to help with fundraising, or to raise awareness of a particular campaign.
Each year, we also asks the craft community to make just one item for a charity or organisation to show their support with our Commit To Knit campaign. This year we will again be running our Hats for the Homeless drive for those that are living on the streets, or who have fallen on hard times. According to Shelter, more than 70,000 households have been made homeless since the start of the pandemic which is a shocking figure.
A spokesperson from The Big Issue North said: “People experiencing street homelessness face significant health risks, including the risk of hypothermia. This can occur throughout the year, as even warm days are often followed by cold nights. A knitted hat can help to protect someone from the cold, but it can also provide someone with dignity, humanity and the proof that someone cares about them. For someone who has fallen through the gaps in our system, this can mean a great deal, and our vendors have been incredibly grateful for the hats they have received.”
Last year we received more than 4,000 hats which were distributed to Crisis, Big Issue Northwest, The Big Issue Foundation, Knit for Peace (who distribute to food banks), The Salvation Army and Wandsworth prison. This year, we would really like to get to 5,000 hats but we can’t do it without you.
The very generous UK Craft publishers have all donated a hat pattern for knitters and crocheters to try for the month of September available
here.
The address to send hats to is
Hats for the Homeless, PO BOX 151, Bingley BD16 9DT, and the closing date is 30th November 2021.
Thank you for taking part.