Where it all began
We first got our needles out in 2003 when we knitted 20,000 hats to raise £10,000 money for Age Concern. Since then The Big Knit has grown every single year and in total we've raised £622,620. Initially, the Big Knit was raising funds for Age Concern to support older people in the winter months. This year, the monies raised from the Big Knit will help Age Concern and Help the Aged support their healthy living and healthy eating projects in the colder months. Year by year we have been receiving more and more hats and last year we were overwhelmed when 506,738 hats came flooding in. This equated to over £253,384 and this year we're aiming for even more.
Where does the money go?
2008
Health, housing and heating all affect older people’s ability to keep warm and stay well in winter. So the money raised from the Big Knit 2008 went towards helping keep older people warm in winter. Everything from warm blankets, safety checking electric blankets, and advice on how to handle rising energy costs.Not only did the knitting raise money to support the most vulnerable older people but they all they’ve knitted a fair few themselves. Here’s a couple of their stories:
Gladys
Gladys, 85, knitted over 200 hats with every single one being different. Gladys has very bad arthritis and a heart condition but knitting the hats made her forget her troubles and reignited creativity in her that she had not used in years.
Gateshead story
The money raised was spent on providing special exercise classes to help keep the older people who use the day centre mobile and warm, which is vital during the cold winter months in Gateshead. The older people that visit the day centre are very frail and isolated and the exercise and social interaction really boosted their spirits.
This year
The monies raised from the Big Knit 2009 will be used to fund projects and advice centres offering information on healthy eating and living activities as well as cooking clubs and get-togethers where older people can sit down and enjoy a meal in each other’s company. Hot Christmas dinners all round.
Age Concern England and Help the Aged have merged to form one charity, Age UK. Registered Charity Number 1128267
