Manawatū Operation Cover Up knitters’ needles and fingers fly to help keep Ukrainians warm

Some of the Operation Cover Up knitters are Palmerston North's Sue Wheeler (left), Clare Locke (Palmerston North), Ruth Beale (Ashhurst), Fay Hutchinson (Aokautere) and Margaret Brown (Dannevirke). Photo / Judith Lacy

The numbers are staggering but so is the need.

Operation Cover Up Manawatū's knitters have made 81 blankets, 21 knee rugs, 43 jerseys, and 340 hats for people in Eastern Europe countries. Also in the shipping container, which went from Tauranga to the Netherlands and then to Eastern Europe, were 155 scarfs, 204 pairs of mittens, 278 pairs of slippers and 200 toys.

Twenty-six knitters had a get-together in Palmerston North to view their handiwork before it went north.

Operation Cover Up Manawatū co-ordinator Ruth Beale looks after knitters from Palmerston North, Feilding, Ashhurst, Foxton, Levin, Ōtaki and Dannevirke.

Some are Probus or Women’s Institute members, others churchgoers.

An Ashhurst group meets every week for knitting and the all-important sewing up and a group of Palmerston North sewer-uppers also meets weekly.

The wider group meets twice a year.

Some of the knitted items bound for Eastern Europe, thanks to Mission Without Borders Operation Cover Up. Photo / Judith Lacy

Beale says the items are sent to Eastern European countries as it is very cold and the people are poor. This year the emphasis is on Ukraine because of the conflict there.

Operation Cover Up is always on the lookout for more wool. “It needs to be pure wool as acrylic freezes when it gets wet.

“Of course, we would never say no to more knitters as well,” Beale says.

For details ring 027 492 7178.

Mission Without Borders is a Christian charity that works across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine to help people break the cycle of poverty.