Volunteer Meath knitters create 6ft2 Christmas tree for community

Kind-hearted volunteers have created an unusual festive centrepiece for their community centre - a 6ft 2' knitted Christmas tree.

Volunteer Meath knitters create 6ft2 Christmas tree for community

Pictures by Seamus Farrelly

Kind-hearted volunteers have created an unusual festive centrepiece for their community centre - a 6ft 2' knitted Christmas tree.

The volunteers are from a Meath knitting club and also make superhero capes for premature babies in the Rotunda Hospital.

The Christmas tree project was a labour of love by the ‘Knit and Natter’ group who have been working on the crafted crochet Christmas tree for a year.

The tree is comprised of 450 unique 'granny squares' all of which has been designed and knitted by the members in the club and will be displayed in the Meath village over Christmas.

The Ratoath Men's Shed also played a vital role in the project, creating its timber frame and base with adorning chicken wire that the piece attaches to.

Crocheter Fiona McMahon said she got the idea to make something together for the community last year when someone donated a large bag of wool.

“I had seen something similar on Pinterest and suggested that we do it to use the spare wool and if everyone did a bit we could make a Christmas tree.

"With this, you are not cutting down trees or using plastic and it will last forever. It was a combined effort by everyone.

One of the organisers of the group Natasha Duff said the knitting group only started a year ago: “We started the knitting group over a year ago.

"It's helping with isolation and loneliness with elderly people in the community. One woman said to me last week, this is the only time in the week that I see or speak to anyone.”

This is just one of many projects undertaken by Knit and Natter according to organiser Joyce Conlan: “Natasha and I throw a little party at Christmas and get a present for each of the ladies to thank them for their work throughout the year and for some, it's the only present that they will get.

"Last year one of the ladies told us she was going to keep the present for Christmas day so she would have a gift to open.”

Joyce said: “The first project we did was make 'medi bags', a bag designed to help cancer patients carry their chemo pumps or heart monitors in Temple Street Children's Hospital.

We also made hats and cardigans for the Neo-Natal Unit in the Rotunda and at Halloween, we made superhero capes for the babies to wear.

“We also, sadly, did a project where the ladies knitted gowns for babies who passed away. That was so tough for everyone because they were so small.

"Leaving them into the Rotunda was heartbreaking because you knew what they were for. We made two blankets for each baby, one that went into the coffin with the baby and the mammy and daddy got to keep the other one.

Last year the group knitted between 60 and 70 hats and scarves for the homeless as well as making activity blankets for the elderly that the local preschool presented to the nursing home residents in Ratoath.

The blankets provide stimulating activity for people living with dementia or recovering from strokes.

"It's the thought and effort for them to think that somebody actually sat and put the time and effort into making something that helps you feel a bit special on a day that you feel low.”

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