Bield Tenants get Crafty for Charity

Charitable tenants at a very sheltered housing development have been putting their knitting skills to good use, making a summer blanket to help keep people in poverty.

The dedicated group of tenants and volunteers at Bield’s Dickson Court in West Calder have been getting crafty for the Blythswood Care charity, who send the blankets to some of the poorest parts of Europe, Asia and Africa.

The committed team from the very sheltered housing development, made up of 7 tenants and 7 ladies from the local community, have been knitting vests and patches for blankets all year. The patches are then sewn together by the residents from the development before being shipped out in shoe boxes.

Eileen Milne, a 70 year old retired Good Neighbour Network Coordinator, has been running the craft group, which meets every Monday morning throughout the year, since her retirement in 2005.

Eileen said “The blankets and vests go wherever they are needed so it’s good to know they will be helping people keep warm in some of the coldest and poorest places in the world.

“It’s obviously a great project to be involved in, but it also benefits the residents at Dickson Court as it’s great to have something to be actively invovled in.

“It also creates a real sense of community because the other residents get involved when the blankets are stitched together. It really helps the social aspect and brings everyone together.”

Bella Kirk, an 88 year old tenant who has been living at Dickson Court for 10 years, said: “I thoroughly enjoy attending the craft group.

“I’ve been a member of the group since it first began and although I’m not as able to knit now as I used to be, I still like to attend. It’s really great being involved in something like this.”