Knitters take to the streets
11 August 2008
A few months back we posted an article on our blog about how we're creating a giant, knitted petition to highlight the need for better maternal care for mums in poor countries.
The blog was intended as a bit of an introduction to the campaign - something to get knitters warmed up before we properly launched the rest of the pages on the website. So when the blog had 1,500 views within a couple of days, and over 40 comments after a week, we were pretty suprised. And it quickly became crystal clear that word spreads fast amongst knitters.
Within weeks knitters were on the streets taking part in the campaign - and we're being literal here, just take a look at the video below to see how people have been knitting in Manchester.
We've even had knitters getting political and organising 'knit ins' with MPs. One group in Leeds got on the phone to Hilary Benn MP and organised for him to come and have a chat about the UK government's track record tackling global poverty.
And it doesn't stop there. We've even caught wind that 40 adventurous members of the Girl Guides are planning to knit squares for the blanket while entering in a tall ships race from Liverpool to Malloy.
We don't really know how it all happened, and how news of the campaign ended up spreading like wildfire, but what we've definitely established is that you knitters are a determined, hard-working bunch.
So if you've knitted a patch for the giant blanket, then good on you. You've already taken part in something special. If you want to keep on helping then we've made some web-banners you can share online and help raise awareness of the campaign. We've also set up a group on Flickr where you can take a photo of your square and show it off a bit.
And if you haven't got round to knitting a square yet, head to oxfam.org.uk/knitting to get started.
Comments:
I used to knit little jumpers for Oxfam but no longer have the pattern please can you tell me where I can get one?
Joyce Davis | July 30, 2009 12:56 PM
Would children's knitted jumpers be of any use to you?
Gill Marshall | June 17, 2009 3:26 PM
do you still need knitted squares?
Maryanne niblett | April 5, 2009 8:07 AM
I salute Oxfam and all the women who participated in the campaign. As a mother also who had the previlage to participate in Leeds meeting the MP Hillary Ben as a way of crying loud for health systems to be improved as to decrease Child and Maternal mortality. The MDG 4 seems to be ignored when in the actual fact statistcs show that women are not given their rights to a secure and healthy pregnancy.
Something needs to be done for us to meet the MDG 4 by 2015. Well done to all who participated in the campaign.
juliet dube | September 29, 2008 11:50 PM
Por una cualidad de vida mejor. SIEMPRE.
Antonio da Silva Ortega | August 14, 2008 7:59 PM
Yes you are doing wonders indeed especially in helping the poor. What i real need to comment is, with all your efforts concerning all what you have already done, i still think that in all the coutries you are working on, you need to get also into the most interior parts of these countries to see how women are suffering in such related issues and see how you can help them too.
Martin Msangi | August 13, 2008 2:03 PM