Actors are ‘stitched up’ for hospital’s knitting campaign

TWO of Ireland’s best known actors – Geraldine Plunkett and Mary McEvoy, mother and daughter respectively in Glenroe – have launched a fundraising campaign for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation. 

Knitivity, supported by Haven Pharmacy and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA), invites people countrywide to get ‘knitting for good’ by creating a range of Christmas-themed patterns that make great gift items and stocking fillers.  

Once knit, the Foundation asks people to sell their creations locally; to return them by freepost for sale through the hospital or to drop them into any Haven Pharmacy countrywide where they will be sold to fund equipment that improves patient care at Beaumont Hospital. 

The Knitivity range features projects for both the experienced and the novice knitter and the charity is asking   primary school teachers to get their pupils involved by knitting in support of the hospital. 

The 2018 pattern booklet includes patterns for tea cosies, door wreaths and elves as well as simpler items such as mug cosies, festive lapel pins and a miniature hat and scarf sets for decorating gift bottles. 

The prices range from €5 to €40 and the completed knits are sold in attractive branded gift bags, accompanied by an ID card (giving the name and county of origin of the item’s creator) to acknowledge and personalise their contribution.

The patterns are available for download at www.beaumontfundraising.ie. They are also available in a printed booklet which can be posted to people who register on the charity’s website and available from all Haven Pharmacies countrywide. 

The starter pack includes a pattern booklet, sew-on fabric Knitivity labels to brand the knitted items, ID cards for knitters to provide their name and county of origin and printed freepost return labels.

Paddy Delaney, managing director, Beaumont Hospital Foundation, said: “It’s been wonderful to see the enthusiasm that this has generated amongst the nation’s knitting community. 

“We are encouraging knitters to sell their items locally at Christmas fairs and other festive events and remit the funds to the hospital. 

“Alternatively, they can return their completed work to us here in Beaumont or to any Haven Pharmacy to save on postage. 

“The festive items make wonderful gifts and stocking fillers and Haven Pharmacies will remit 100 percent of the sales price to us.”

If you would like to get involved you can register to receive a Knitivity pack at www.beaumontfundraising.ie; by phone on 01–8092457 or you can pick one up in your local Haven Pharmacy (see havenphamacy.ie).