‘We will continue to knit for as long as we are needed’
THE team behind the Newborn Baby Hats Appeal has said it is prepared to keep going, as yesterday marked three years since the invasion of Ukraine.
The appeal was set up within days of the invasion, and since then it has collected more than 40,000 knitted items.
Currently 15 boxes of knitted and crotched hats and other baby clothing items are being sent to newborn and premature babies in hospitals in Ukraine.
Communications officer Kay Rawlins-Duquemin said that the public ‘still has a keen interest’ in the appeal today, and the appeal was delighted to receive its 40,000th donation.
She said the appeal was hopeful for a positive end to the war, but stressed there were no plans to stop their work.
‘We want it to finish positively, but Newborn Baby Hats Appeal has no notification to end, and will continue to knit for as long as we are needed,’ she said.
‘Despite what is going on, the temperatures over there are cruel, and we are prepared to keep going.’
After the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Newborn Baby Hats Appeal was set up in Guernsey by Lilita Kruze, who invited the public to knit hats for babies in Ukraine, but a whole variety of knitted clothing and blankets were donated.
Through contacts in Ukraine, the appeal was made aware of the additional need for its support in Latvia and is now sending donation boxes there as well, including knitwear for adults in a Latvian dementia home and a Latvian-based refugee charity.
‘All of this is possible thanks to both the response of the public across Guernsey, Scotland, Wales and the wider UK, and DHL, which supplies the boxes and ensures the delivery of donations absolutely free of charge,’ said Miss Kruze.
‘There are collection points in local churches – Castel, St Matthew’s at Cobo, St Saviour’s, Torteval and Vale – and the two Waitrose stores. Volunteers Barbara Roussel, Sally Rowe, Heather Reed and Sarah-Jane Allen pick up all of the donated items weekly and deliver them to Ali Vohmann, who does the next enormous job.
‘She receives donations, takes a picture of every single item, counts them for customs purposes, boxes them all up and then prepares the boxes for sending.’
This year the beneficiaries in Ukraine are Zhytomyr Regional Perinatal Centre and Kyiv City Maternity Hospital, and in Latvia, the organisation Tavi Draugi and the dementia home Mezciems.
‘There are not enough words to express my gratitude to all of the dedicated appeal volunteers and the Guernsey public for their support,’ said Miss Kruze.
‘Please continue to support the Newborn Baby Hats Appeal if you can.’
