Jim Trainor, who has died aged 83, knitted 1000 pairs of booties for newborn babies in Dunedin. Photo / Pregnancy Help Ōtepoti Dunedin/Facebook
Jim Trainor, who has died aged 83, knitted 1000 pairs of booties for newborn babies in Dunedin. Photo / Pregnancy Help Ōtepoti Dunedin/Facebook
The Ōtepoti Dunedin community is mourning the loss of a beloved volunteer who spent the last few years of his life making sure newborn babies were kept warm and cosy.
Jim Trainor, 83, knitted 1000 pairs of booties for newborn babies, and has been hailed a community hero by thosewho knew of him and his dedication to helping expectant mothers.
Pregnancy Help Ōtepoti Dunedin, the organisation Trainor volunteered for, this morning announced that the beloved knitter had died.
“Jim was a bit unusual in that most people assume that all of our wonderful knitters are women, but Jim’s mother taught him to knit as a child and he knitted the most gorgeous little booties for us,” the organisation posted on Facebook.
“In fact, he knitted the astounding total of 1000 pairs of them – so many little feet being kept warm because of Jim’s dedication and care. Rest easy, Jim – our most sincere condolences to your family and friends.”
Jim Trainor knitted 1000 pairs of booties for newborn babies in Dunedin. Photo / Pregnancy Help Ōtepoti Dunedin/Facebook
The community has been mourning the loss of Jim, once dubbed the grandfather of Dunedin, who helped keep so many babies warm.
“My daughter has a few pairs of booties that are Jim’s creation gifted to us from Chris; they have always been treated with love. I tell her that her booties have come from some of the wonderful great-grandmas and great-grandads who help Pregnancy Help Ōtepoti Dunedin. Fly high, Jim, you wonderful soul,” one person wrote on Facebook.
Multiple Facebook users from Dunedin praised Trainor’s “beautiful legacy” and many thanked him for his contribution to the community.
“Remember reading about Jim and thinking, everyone can lend someone else a hand in their own way! You’ve earned a rest and worthy wings! Fly high, Jim, and eternal rest to you,” another Facebook user wrote.
“I remember this man, he was definitely [a] pleasant person and very friendly. Thank you for all of your beautiful knitting you donated to many babies to help them [keep] warm,” someone else commented.
“Rest in peace, Jim. Your kindness and dedication to knitting warm little feet will never be forgotten,” another person wrote.
Chris Otley, manager of the Dunedin branch of Pregnancy Help, told the Herald that, while the community receives contributions from many people, Jim went “above and beyond”.
“The mahi that Pregnancy Help does always involves the contributions of many people, but sometimes there are people like Jim who go above and beyond making a significant contribution to this,” Otley said.
“Jim knitted over 1000 pairs of booties over a seven to eight year period for our branch in Dunedin. His dedication meant that hundreds of new babies were helped to be kept warm, and hundreds of whānau were shown that there were people like Jim caring about them.”
