A Stitch In Time Helps Save Lives

An initiative launched by Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme has seen customers and residents from two care villages join forces for a sewing bee in aid of animals affected by the catastrophic bushfires in Australia. Over 100 handmade items have been donated to the cause, which academics estimate has already claimed the lives of more than one billion animals. The crafts will assist the recovery of burnt paws and provide homes for orphaned animals.

The Lower Street care village invited participants from neighbouring Belong Crewe to bolster efforts and together, they volunteered an afternoon knitting, sewing and crocheting a total of 150 items for the wildlife affected by the crisis. The five containers- worth of donations have been shipped to the devastated country, including bird nests, koala mitts, kangaroo pouches, bats’ wraps and blankets.

The materials for the sewing mission were donated by local fabric and haberdashery businesses and enabled customers at the care villages, along with the wider community, to create the contributions for Rescue Craft Collective, a charitable group supporting Australia’s wildlife.

Emma Palin, Experience Coordinator at Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme, who led the project said: “It’s in Belong’s nature to help those in need, so as soon as the bushfires started, our customers were asking if they could do anything to help.

“Nearly all the fabrics used have been donated by local haberdasheries, and we can’t thank them enough. Coming together with local community means there’s a little less pressure on Australia’s volunteers, and animals can recover in comfort.”