Scarf will wrap the home in love
Posted by admin on June 30,2020For the last nine months, knitters from the local community have been knitting a scarf that is more than 365 metres long – sufficient to wrap around the entire circumference of Trewartha, our 37-bed nursing home in Carbis Bay.
Activities coordinator Paula Botfield has led the mammoth effort, encouraging the home’s residents, staff and members of the public to cast on 20 stitches and produce as much length as possible.
“Although the scarf was started before the pandemic struck, its significance has become even more important during lockdown,” said Paula. “It’s lovely how everyone has rallied round and helped. We all need each other more than ever at the moment and the scarf is a symbol of community and the sense of being loved.”
99-year-old Susan Vaidya is one of those who took on the knitting task with gusto. The highly qualified botanist has lived at Trewartha for three years and is proud of her ten-metre contribution.
“I’ve always been a machine knitter, so someone has to cast on and cast off for me,” said Susan, who belongs to the home’s garden, cooking and craft clubs. “I’ve been knitting every day and have found it very soothing.”
Christine Smitheram, mum to Trewartha carer Ange Brick, produced the longest bit of scarf at 39 metres, with local ladies Sharon Joslin and Wendy Francis creating another 8 metres and 2.5 metres respectively.
“I used to run a knitwear business but hadn’t done any knitting for 20 years when I saw a Facebook post about the scarf,” said Sharon. “I wanted to be involved because it felt like I was doing my bit to keep everyone safe.”
“We are hugely grateful to everyone who donates their time, money and effort in helping us look after the many elderly and vulnerable people who depend on us for their well-being,” said our CEO Anne Thomas. “The Trewartha scarf is amazing and a real testament to the importance of community, especially during these last few months of unprecedented crisis.”
