Te Puke Knit and Natter Group Warms Hearts and Hospitals

The Te Puke Knit and Natter group continues to make a meaningful difference in the community, with members gathering every Friday at Te Puke Library to knit, crochet, and support local causes. The group, which was started by the late Margaret Edge in 2019, creates beanies, blankets, clothes, toys, and slippers that are distributed to premature babies and children in Starship Hospital's cancer ward, Ronald McDonald House, and various other hospitals and Plunket facilities.

Moureen Allen, who stepped up to co-ordinate the group following Margaret's death earlier this year, emphasizes that there are no rules for participation and that newcomers of all skill levels are welcome. The social aspect is equally important as the knitting itself, with members ranging from their 90s to newer participants who discovered the group through local listings.

Winter is a particularly busy time for donations, with three large boxes of knitted items sent to Starship Foundation in July alone. Starship Foundation chief executive Jo Simon praised the talented Te Puke knitters for their regular donations of warm blankets, woollen clothing, and toys that are distributed to babies and children in need throughout the hospital.

Originally published in Te Puke News by Sun Media.