A generous donation of wool has helped Sidford WI to raise money for local charities, writes Clarissa Place.

Mandy Dowell, a member of Sidmouth Knitting Group, donated the material on behalf of Pat Knight after reading in the Herald about its coffee mornings, - where members meet for a ‘knit and natter’.

Sidford WI branch is using the generous donation to make and sell items to help local causes, including young homeless people, the Admiral Nurse Campaign and to send to maternity wards in Uganda.

Mandy said: “You never say ‘no’ to wool. She [Pat] had all this wool and wanted to give it away.

“She rang to say she was expecting me and that she had a lot of wool. My car was full. If you’re going to have all this wool, you want to do it for local causes rather than making your own jumpers.”

Pat, who is in her 90s, has also crocheted blankets to sell for the Admiral Nurse Campaign.

The wool has allowed Sidmouth residents Shirley Reeves and her 88-year-old mum June Drewa to create blankets for Centrepoint, a charity which helps young homeless people.

Shirley said: “They take them from the street and get them education, housing and their health checked out. They provide them with all their stuff but nothing which is made with love.”

The items are on sale in Sidford Social Hall when the WI meets for its monthly coffee morning.

Jean Bridgeman, of Sidford WI, said: “Some people will take the wool and sit at a table or they take it away and bring it back to us. If someone wanted to knit something for themselves, they put some money in for the Admiral Nurse Campaign.”