Genesis Community's 'Knitty Noras' support Barnet hospital

Published by Jon Land for Genesis Housing Group Limited in Housing

Seventeen members of The Knitty Noras, a charitable knitting club set up by Genesis Community in Ilford, visited Barnet Hospital to see fruits of their fundraising activities in action.

The Knitty Noras were shown a stall where their knitted items are displayed, saw some of the wheelchairs that have been bought as a result of their fundraising, and enjoyed a quick sit-down on an outdoor bench sponsored by the charity Knit Wits, which used money raised from the sale of Knitty Nora blankets, for patients and families to enjoy.

Since July 2007 the one hundred-strong group has used funding from the Scarman Trust and Genesis Community to buy wool to knit blankets and baby clothes. These are donated to the charity Knit Wits.

The blankets are either given to babies in the premature unit or sold to raise money for vital hospital equipment such as wheelchairs.

Valerie Childs, who runs the Knit Wits charity at the hospital, said: “I have been overwhelmed by the Knitty Noras’ determination to help at the hospital.

"We hope to continue working with them and with Genesis Community to raise enough money to buy some important equipment for some of our older patients in the psychiatric ward.”

Knitty Nora founder, Sylvia Fox, a Springboard Housing resident in Ilford, said: “It is wonderful to see our knitted items help such good causes.

"The Knitty Noras will continue knitting to raise money for older patients on the psychiatric ward and are also planning some fundraising events in the autumn to help sponsor a new bench for the hospital."

Iain Mackechnie-Jarvis, Head of Genesis Community, said: "Genesis Community is committed to creating opportunities that make a real difference to its residents and their communities. These community champions make a wonderful contribution to their community, also knitting together rather than on their own. We are delighted to support projects like this."