Keep calm and carry yarn

By Chris Valli

The wonderful knitters of Marlborough have come together once again to spin a yarn.

Children in war-torn Ukraine will have some winter woollies from Marlborough to keep warm this winter. The group of volunteers are part of a wider network of volunteers across the country which knits clothes and blankets for orphans in Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Moldova.

Operation Cover Up relies on donations. Hundreds of community volunteers come together to make a little bit of difference - the ladies at Redwoodtown are no exception.

Winter in Eastern Europe can get as low as -25 degrees celsius and many children and families have little to help them face the harsh cold.

Knitting items such as jerseys, cardigans, socks, gloves and scarves are all needed for the 2023 shipment while non-knitted items such as clothes and shoes for children aged between four - 15-years old are also required.

Shipping per container was about $16,000, which was funded by Mission Without Borders donations, but Operation Cover Up relied on its own donations to provide wool to local knitters.

Mission Without Borders director Andrew Wilks says through Operation Cover Up, children, families, homeless and elderly recipients learnt that people on the other side of the world cared about their struggle to survive and wanted to ease their suffering.

“It is putting loving concern into action.”

The Redwoodtown knitting display will be at the St Christopher’s Hall, June 17 from 10am - 2pm.

Co-ordinator Carol Taylor asks anyone wishing to donate items (must be brand new) to drop off to St Christopher’s on Friday, June 16 from 10am - 2pm.

If any Sun readers would be able to offer the group a trailer for a few hours on the Saturday morning, please contact Carol on 021 399 649.

Operation Cover Up was founded by Taupō woman Liz Clark 23 years ago, with Liz writing a book, The Warmth of Love, about her experiences with Operation Cover Up.