Calling all Big Knitters

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is launching its winter campaign: The Big Knit.

The Big Knit is a joint campaign between Age UK and innocent drinks to help vulnerable older people keep warm during the winter. Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin has a target of 6,580 hats to be knitted and sent to innocent. The little hats are then placed on the top of smoothie bottles and for every smoothie sold the local charity receives 25p.

We have already enlisted lots of knitting groups to help and one particular group of people from Oswestry have already knitted 2,000 hats.

Gemma Manning-Bentley runs a studio in Oswestry called Gemmipop Designs where she makes jewellery and she got involved with Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin two years ago to support our cause.

Gemma said: 'I was inspired to knit the hats after my husband found a hat on an innocent smoothie bottle and suggested I may be able to help, so I decided to get a community of knitters together. My group of ladies really enjoy meeting up and we have some fun trying out different knitting patterns.'

If you would like to get involved in the Big Knit to raise money for local older people, call Angela Goodman at Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233 123.