Beaming faces and happy dances from Rotorua kids receiving Knitting for Cool Kids packs

Glenholme School pupils, including Kovin Livingstone, 5, and Harper Phillips, 5 (centre), get cozy in their new knitted woollies. Photo / Andrew Warner

There were bursts of colour at schools around Rotorua this week as donated warm winter woollies were eagerly pulled on.

Knitting for Cool Kids Rotorua has been delivering packs with a beanie, scarf, slippers and mittens to 21 schools, with every 5-year-old new entrant receiving a pack.

Co-ordinator Miriam Ruberl says this week they delivered 769 packs. There are about 900 altogether, but they keep some available for children who start school later in the term.

Miriam says seeing the kids’ reactions to the colourful woollies made all the knitting feel worthwhile, and showed that the group was onto something relevant. “It is also a good way of building community.”

“It’s important because it is relevant. It was relevant to me when I was a child - we arrived as refugees in England and someone gave me a green beanie. I still remember how that felt.”

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Knitting for Cool Kids Rotorua is a knitting and crochet charity, which is linked to the Wellington group with the same name. Knitting for Cool Kids was originally formed after two founders of the Wellington group watched the Bryan Bruce TV3 2011 documentary ‘Inside Child Poverty NZ.

Miriam says all children should be able to experience the warmth these types of accessories bring in the colder months.

Knitting winter woollies for local children is a great option for those who might be able to donate their time rather than money to a cause, she says.

At Glenholme School on Wednesday, new entrant pupils had beaming smiles on their faces, were jumping up and down with delight, and doing happy dances as they picked out packs in their favourite colours.

Kovin Livingstone, 5, and Harper Phillips, 5, both said it felt good to receive the handmade items donated to their class, and that they would be great in cold weather. They likes that there were lots of different colours.

Kovin chose a red and black pack, while Harper gravitated to her favourite colour purple.

New entrant teacher Monique Palmer says this is the third or fourth year that Knitting for Cool Kids Rotorua has donated the winter woollies packs to new pupils at their school, and that the children have fun going round choosing their favourite colour to wear.

“The kids just adore it... it’s such an amazing thing for the kids to have, and you can see the absolute delight.”

She says there are probably many children who don’t have things like the little woollen slippers, and that having these knitted items is a real treat.

- Those interested in being part of or helping out the group can get in touch through the Knitting for Cool Kids Rotorua Facebook page.

Schools Knitting for Cool Kids Rotorua delivered to this year:

Aorangi School

Kawaha Point School

Glenholme School

Mamaku School

Rotorua School

Sunset Primary

Te Rangihakahaka

TKKM o Rotoiti

TKKM o Te Koutu

TKKM o Whakamarino

Horohoro School

Kea St Specialist School

Malfroy School

Owhata School

Selwyn School

Western Heights Primary

TKKM o Huruterangi

TKKM o Raumata

TKKM o Whakarewarewa

Ngongotaha School

Westbrook School

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air