...is always going to be some shit stuff, isn't there? This isn't about me or the shop. It's about women and children living in a refuge to escape domestic abuse. One of my fantastic customers is a manager at the Nottingham Community Housing Association and she's asked for some help to set up a knitting circle for the women and their families living in a refuge in the city area. The refuge and it's position needs to stay secret for safety reasons so I won't mention anything here - it's on a need to know basis.
The refuge houses 12 women and their families (up to 5 or 6 children) who've had to flee domestic abuse. The women can stay there for up to 12 months and while they're there they get both practical support and emotional support. Stuff like applying for benefits, how to resettle, budgeting, getting jobs, getting onto college courses and other life skills. They want to set up a knitting circle in the refuge to promote self esteem and social skills and calm and all the other reasons that we do it. Think about why you knit, crochet, sew, bead, cross stitch - and imagine the intense help that could be to a woman in need. We have to help don't we! So, what do they want?
Firstly, they'd like a female volunteer who would spend some time teaching and coaching and befriending the women. The volunteer will need to be a fairly good knitter or crocheter (and other yarn/fabric skills like sewing or embroidery would be great!) and be confident enough to teach it - but it won't be like a lesson, it'll be more like one on one friendly teaching, the sort you might do with your mate. The volunteer won't need to be DBS or CRB checked because they won't be alone with the women at all. The ideal volunteer would come weekly but the time/day doesn't matter a great deal - I guess as long as it's a regular thing. They'd like somebody that can commit for the long term. Could it be you??? The details of the place are secret like I say so if you are interested and you think you fit the bill, just pop me an e-mail or a Facebook message through and I'll pass on the manager's number for you to work out the details.
Secondly, they'd like any wool and needles and hooks that can be spared. I've got some that I'm going to put together but I'm sure if this takes off they'll need a lot more! Anything will do including any 'interesting' textured yarn which is the stuff that tends to appeal to kids. I'm sure patterns and books and sewing up needles and tape measures and cable needles and anything will come in handy too. I happen to know that they'd like to encourage other crafts so although it feels a bit weird to ask if you have any materials, beads, sewing cotton, aida, embroidery silks, embroidery hoops that are going spare? Yep, we'll have them! I'll make sure these are passed straight through to the manager who'll get them to the women that need them.
I am so pleased we can be a part of this. It means a lot doesn't it?
Love Eleanor. xxx
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