Our staff are doing their bit for local residents this winter as they are knitting blankets to help keep people warm.

With the rising costs of even the most essential of things, more and more people are switching off their heating to save costs. So, council staff have banded together and are creating lovely handmade knitted blankets to help keep some of our vulnerable residents warm this winter.

They are also encouraging local residents and crafters out there to get involved and help knit or crochet a blanket. If you can’t manage a whole blanket, a square would help, these can then be pieced together.

Council Leader, Councillor Steve Fritchley said, “Once again our staff are doing their bit by getting creative and helping those most in need.

“With the unprecedented rise in fuel and energy bills this year, more households will see themselves in fuel poverty. It’s important that we help these people as much as possible and our staff want to be able to gift them a lovely hand-made blanket.  

“We’re also encouraging you to help and play a part in keeping people safe and warm this winter, by knitting a blanket or crocheting a square of a blanket that we can then donate to someone in need.”

We are aiming for full blankets to be 56”x56” (142 cm x 142cm), with individual squares to be 8”x8”. If you want to take part you can drop your blankets or squares off at any of our contact centres and they will make sure that they go to those most in need.

• Knitted pattern – 40 stitches, using double knitting yarn on 4mm (size 8 needles). You will need to knit approx. 40 – 50 rows to make the square. The exact number of rows doesn’t matter. Just measure until you get to 8 inches.
• Crochet – 4mm crochet hook, Granny Square approx. 9 rounds or until 8inches
• Crochet – 4mm crochet hook, approx. 19 rows of 35 trebles, or until 8 inches

We are requesting that all blankets/squares are dropped off by Friday 2 December 2022.