Beanies for Africa

LISA HONEYBONE

SOUTH AFRICA'S "fish and chip" babies may no longer be going home wrapped in newspaper for warmth, thanks to a Torbay woman.

Louise Allnutt has been organising the collection of thousands of hand-knitted beanies to be sent to a maternity home in Cape Town where some parents are too poor to clothe their newborns.

She has 2000 beanies in her garage waiting to be shipped out.

Her mother once mentioned in passing that she was knitting beanies for a local maternity home in Cape Town but she didn't think much of it at the time.

It took a Landmark course in July 2009 to inspire Mrs Allnutt that one person can make a difference in the world.

Last year she gathered more than 500 beanies in five months.

Since January this year she has collected 2067 beanies, 54 booties, two pairs of mittens and 690 vests.

But she has only completed one beanie herself and had to resort to YouTube tutorials to work out how to cast on and off after a 20-year knitting break.

"It shows you don't have to be an expert in the field if you're passionate about getting results," she says.

The bulk of the beanies are sent to Mowbray Maternity Home in Cape Town and some are also sent to Middlemore Hospital in south Auckland.

Mrs Allnutt says she didn't realise there was a need for them in Auckland too but Middlemore has the largest number of births in New Zealand and many return with respiratory illnesses, she says.

It is highly expensive to post the beanies to Cape Town.

"There is a huge South African population living on the Shore who might be able to help," she says.

"If families are taking a trip back and not using their maximum baggage allowance they might be happy to slip in a few beanies," she says.

Email Louise at info@montys.co.nz to help with the project or transporta.

- © Fairfax NZ News