Local woman takes on knitting challenge to raise money for Age UK

A MELKSHAM woman is taking on a challenge to knit 100 mini hats by the 10th December to raise money for Age UK. 

Erika Jayne Bignell took up knitting last year and will be taking part in the challenge organised by the smoothie company, Innocent. ‘The Big Knit’ involves knitters making mini hats that will adorn the bottles of Innocent drinks sold in shops. The drinks company then donates money from those sold to Age UK. Last year £200,000 was raised.

On top of the money donated by Innocent to Age UK from hats made, Erika is aiming to raise even more money for Age UK through sponsorship.

Erika said, “Last year i started knitting with the intention to knit little hats for the top of innocent smoothie bottles but my skills were sorely lacking, so in the end I wasn’t able to help in the challenge.

“But this year I am able to take part and the idea of getting sponsorship to knit 100 mini hats came to me as another way to raise money for Age UK. The hats will be sent off to Innocent to raise even more money – but getting sponsorship to knit the actual hats seemed even better because then all the money goes to a great charity.

“I chose Age UK because it is a fantastic charity and I was alarmed to find out that as many as 24,000 people die needlessly because of the cold every winter. Many others spend the time lonely and isolated, unable to heat their homes and struggling to get out and about. I personally think that in this day and age there is no reason for people to be isolated and cold.

“The designs for the hats Innocent want are online and have instructions and the hardest aspect will be when i move on from the standard hat to creating a fez or the Bluebird hat, where the knitting instructions are quite hard – but I believe that I shall rise to the challenge!

“I haven’t done a challenge like this before and I am looking forward to seeing how big a pile 100 mini hats makes.”

To donate to Erika visit www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ErikaJayne