Get stitching! These UK charities are looking for volunteer crocheters
If you're on the lookout for a new crochet project but are unsure what to go for, why not try crocheting for charity? Volunteering your time for a good cause can come in many forms, and crafting for charity is a great way to flex your creative skills while doing your bit to help.
Most crochet charity projects are based on simple patterns that are quick and easy for crafters of any level to whip up. All you need to get started is some wool and a crochet hook!
What is crocheting for charity?
Crocheting for charity is a way of volunteering your time to an organisation or cause by creating a handmade item that they are requesting. Items that are made and sent in can either be directly given to those in need or, in some cases, they may be sold as part of a fundraising project to generate funds for the organisation.
Crocheting for charity is a great way to use your creative talents to give back and do your part. Most projects will require you to provide your own materials, which is super handy if you've got a bit of a wool stash that needs working through.
Crocheting for charity: how to get involved
There are lots of different ways to get involved with crocheting for charity, from making handmade blankets and clothing to creating little novelty woolly hats. No matter your skill level or how much time you have available, there will be a project that suits everyone.
To help you get started we've compiled the below list of charities and organisations who are looking for support from kind crafters.
Sands
Sands is a charity that supports bereaved families affected by the loss of a baby. They are looking for people to crochet (or knit) blankets to include in their special memory boxes that are presented to parents.
The crochet or knitting pattern for their blankets can be downloaded here - crochet pattern & knitting pattern. Blankets need to be made in white wool (plain white wool with no metallic inclusions); finished blankets should be square (between 50-60cm) and have no large holes that could trap delicate fingers or toes.
Once your blanket is complete, you need to fill in a form to post with your parcel. Full information and further details can be found at Knit for Sands
Loose Ends
Loose Ends is an organisation that provides a 'matchmaking' service to help ease the grief of families whose loved ones haven't been able to finish a project due to death or disability. They welcome textile crafters (not just crocheters) of all sorts from anywhere in the world to submit their details to become a 'Finisher'.
When someone submits an unfinished project to the organisation, they look through their database of Finishers to find the perfect match (both by skillset and geography). The Finisher and the person who submitted the project are then connected via email and are able to sort out between themselves the posting of the unfinished project and any supplies that may be with it. Loose Ends will check in with the Finisher as the project progresses to make sure all is running smoothly. In the event that a project is no longer a good match, the team will do their best to reassign a new volunteer to take over.
Find out how to become a Finisher at Loose Ends
The Big Knit - Age UK
Every year since 2003, Innocent smoothie bottles are topped with little woolly hats that have been crocheted or knitted by volunteers all over the UK. This project is run in conjunction with Age UK, which receives 25p from every purchase of a woolly hat bottle.
Crochet hats are more than welcome, and the Age UK site has a collection of fun patterns for inspiration. The start date of the next campaign hasn't been announced yet, so people are being asked to keep hold of their hats for now, but you can sign up to be notified via email when campaign dates are confirmed.
Full information can be found at The Big Knit
Woolly Hugs
Woolly Hugs is a volunteer-run online community that helps to connect its members with various ongoing projects, all in the spirit of helping others. Some of their current projects include:
Little Hugs Project - Providing handmade blankets to children of all ages currently in hospitals across the UK
Hugs and Hearts - Providing blankets and 3D hanging hearts for organ donation teams to give to families of organ recipients and donors.
Bee’s Blankets - Creating sensory lap blankets for people who may have autism, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
More information on their latest projects and details for posting items can be found at Woolly Hugs
Knit-a-square
Knit-a-square supports vulnerable and orphaned children in Africa 'one square at a time'. They are a worldwide community of kind crafters who provide crocheted and knitted items such as blankets, hats, hand warmers and cuddly toys for children to let them know they are cared for.
You can do your bit by crocheting a solid coloured or striped 20cm square (exact instructions can be found here). It takes 35 squares to make a full blanket, but there is no stipulation on how many you need to send; every square they receive will be used to make a blanket.
Finished squares can be sent to: Knit-a-square, Private Bag X900, Bryanston 2021, South Africa
Full details on how to send your squares, as well as pattern inspiration, can be found at Knit-a-square.
The Warm Baby Project
The Warm Baby Project works to keep babies happy and warm by providing a range of crocheted, knitted and sewn items. They support hospitals, NICU's, baby banks and refugee camps across the UK and the world.
The project started in 2018, and its tremendous growth in recent years is a wonderful testament to the kindness and generosity of strangers. What started as a project to help collect donations for one local hospital has now grown into a community of over 60,000 volunteers and supporters!
They support a number of appeals and need volunteers to make everything from cardigans, blankets, hats, bonding squares, teddies and even cannula mittens. They have also introduced Wool Banks where people can donate (or collect) wool to be used in one of their projects.
Their most current urgent appeals are listed on their website; some appeals have different addresses to send finished projects to, so make sure to check out the website – The Warm Baby Project – for the most up-to-date info
Knit for Syria
Knit for Syria send handmade knitted and crocheted items that have been made by volunteers to children in hospitals and people who have been displaced as a result of the conflict in Syria.
They are always looking for donations of crocheted jumpers, blankets, scarves, gloves, mittens and teddy bears. Items can be made in any colour you like; they just ask that you make sure there are no loose ends or pieces that can be a hazard to young children.
You can post your crocheted items to: Hand in Hand for Aid and Development, 15 Auckland Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, B11 1RH.
Further information can be found atKnit for Syria
If crochet isn't your thing, we've also compiled a list of organisations looking for knitters for charity.
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