Age needs one voice. Now it has:
Age NI is the new force combining Age Concern Northern Ireland and
Help the Aged in Northern Ireland. Age NI is a member of the Age UK family.
The new force combining &
We are delighted to inform you that the Big Knit is back! In partnership with Innocent Smoothies, Age NI is calling on all their Big Knitters to make the most of their talent, pick up their knitting needles, and join us once again in creating the ever popular little woolly hats.
Knitters across Northern Ireland are joining us in this fundraising campaign, knitting hats for the top of Innocent Smoothie bottles. For every bottle sold with a knitted hat in stores this winter, a donation of 25p per bottle goes directly to Age NI. All funds raised from this exciting campaign will support our work for and on behalf of older people across Northern Ireland.
Last year you and other volunteer knitters managed to knit an incredible 41,000 hats. This year we have set ourselves a target of 50,000 hats. Whether you are knitting as an individual, or as part of a group, each and every hat counts!
We have three patterns – beginners, intermediate and advanced. Please choose whichever pattern(s) you prefer. Don’t forget – if you would like to get your thinking hats on, have fun with the hats and show your creative side, there will be a prize for the most creative hat received.
We also invite you to tell us your story, even if it’s only a few lines. We love to share your heart-warming experiences; from grandparents teaching grandchildren to knit for the first time – to residents in residential homes having a ‘knit-in,’ to older people telling us they found knitting to be ‘good exercise for their arthritic hands.’ We will upload some of your experiences onto our website.
For every hat knitted, 25p will be donated to Age NI. Simple as that.
To register your interest in taking part, please contact Dorothy McConkey in the Fundraising Team on 028 9024 5729 or email dorothy.mcconkey@ageni.org
Big Knit Beginner Pattern (PDF 120 KB) Big Knit Intermediate Pattern (PDF 118KB) Big Knit Advanced Pattern (PDF 136KB)
Please send your knitted hats to: The Big Knit, Age NI, 3 Lower Crescent, Belfast, BT7 1NR
We are very grateful for each and every hat knitted. It would help us with the counting of hats, if individual knitters could mark how many hats they are posting to us, and if those knitting in groups could package hats in lots of 100 and mark as 100 etc.
Age NI's photo album on facebook Age NI's Big Knit Flickr photos
www.ageni.org/thebigknit
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