Residents at Icknield Court were greeted by members of the Princes Risborough Library’s Knit and Natter group, where they relished the chance to knit an array of different items, as well as socialise with one another.

Having started around a year ago, The Princes Risborough Library’s Knit and Natter group is a group that welcomes everyone, founded to give residents a chance to show off their knitting skills and provides a relaxed environment for them to meet fellow residents and staff members.

The session at the Library coincided with one of the regular Thursday morning meet-ups for the group, with sessions such as these helping to promote emotional and physical wellbeing within the care home.  Furthermore, these activities help to build friendships across both residents and staff.

The visiting knitters knitted blankets for the Hamlin Fistula UK charity, and they explained the vision of the charity to residents, namely preventing childbirth injuries of women in Ethiopia. The blankets made by residents will be sent by Hamlin Fistula to Ethiopia, where they will be donated to women’s hospitals for patients to use, underlining the importance of the work being done.

Sue Potter, leader of the Princes Risborough Knit and Natter group, was thoroughly enamoured by the vision of the charity, and the great cause that it serves, saying, “Our blankets provide warmth for the women during the cool night times in Ethiopian hospitals and serve as advertising for the hospitals when women take them away and wear them out and about after their recovery”. 

Sue went on to say, “We take pride in what we do, contributing to a greater cause – a woman asked if she could buy one of our blankets, but I had to turn her down and suggest other people she could ask, as the blankets we make are needed for Hamlin Fistula UK.”

Reflecting on her knitted blankets, Sue was happy with the designs that were made, noting “I like to think our blankets look good; when stitching all the separate squares together, I try and choose colours that go. I end up with odd squares and will try to knit something that goes with the ones that are left”.