Anzac Quilts a new initiative for Papamoa Patchers Quilt Club

Papamoa Patchers, from left, Sheryl Farrow, Betty Marriott and Barbara Procter.

Sheryl Fowler is on a mission. The Papamoa Patchers Quilt Club member has started Anzac Quilts and is hoping other groups around New Zealand will join.

The concept came to fruition after she came across the idea with her friend Barbara Procter after seeing a Quilts of Valor presentation in the United States.

It was originally started by Catherine Roberts in 2003 and was designed to give a quilt to all wounded service personnel and more than 250,000 quilts have been gifted.

But it quickly grew to encompass all returned service personnel and is now in Canada, Australia and United Kingdom.

''So we thought why not New Zealand.''

Consequently Anzac Quilts was born with the approval of the RSA.

Not one to sit idle, Sheryl and other quilters got to work. The logo is the silver fern ''as this is the symbol on all New Zealand graves in Europe and within the word Anzac the letters NZ was enlarged to emphasis New Zealand''.

Earlier this year on March 1, 13 quilts were presented to veterans at Mount Maunganui in front of more than 200 people. But 42 have been done to date.

The event was quite emotional, Sheryl says, and the veterans were blown away.

Meanwhile, making a quilt can be time consuming.

''Each quilt can take two or three months and cost $300. But we have had lots of donations of material and a firm at the Mount has made all our labels for us.

''Many of our service personnel returning home suffer from some type of physical or psychological wound. Now is the time to repay them for their service.''

Sheryl is passionate about the cause and looking forward to the next event which will take place on Sunday, October 18 at the Tauranga RSA at 10am.

■ For more information about Anzac Quilts or if you want to donate fabric or make one contact Sheryl on 543 0251 or randsfarrow@linect.co.nz