Glasgow knitters provide blanket coverage for city homeless

Glasgow's churches are proving to be a close-knit community in a very real way as they combine their skills to celebrate the city's 850th anniversary and help those in need.

As part of Glasgow 850, a city-wide celebration marking eight-and-a-half centuries since the award of burgh status, the Church of Scotland's Glasgow Presbytery and homelessness charity the Lodging House Mission have launched the Glasgow Close Knit project.

Churches across the presbytery are being encouraged to knit or crotchet 850 blankets, which will be distributed through the Lodging House Mission to men and women using hostel accommodation across the city.

Among the congregations which have taken up the challenges is Cambuslang Parish Church, where brand new and experienced knitters have made 444 squares since last October.

Its involvement began after Lorna Morrison delivered harvest gifts from the congregation to Lodging House Mission and heard about the Close Knit project from the charity's chaplain, Church of Scotland deacon Claire Herbert DCS.

Having already completed a sponsored knit for children's hospice charity CHAS in August and been well supported by the congregation, Mrs Morrison was just the right person to get involved, especially after learning that some of the younger people involved in the congregation were interested in knitting.

This led to her joining two fellow enthusiasts in passing on their skills to the church Girls Brigade group.

Since inviting the members of the congregation to participate and placing copies of the patterns on a notice board, Mrs Morrison has been collecting weekly donations of knitted squares, not just from members of the congregation, but from members of neighbouring churches and local knitting and craft groups.

She said: "There seems to be a great community spirit and feeling of worth instilled in people, as well as making use of the spare wool people keep and don't know what to use it for."

Mrs Morrison also held a meet-up this month where members of the congregation and any friends who were interested came together to knit, count and sort squares into colours and plan their first blanket and begin sewing it together.

"I was shocked that we had 440-plus squares and it is only February," she admitted.

"More ladies hope to be able to come next time on 16 March, when hopefully we will be able to make seven or more blankets that will then be given to Claire for distribution to people living in homeless accommodation.

"Looking back, a chance meeting with Claire and a conversation with a young person set this in motion.

"It is not just the squares, but the new friendships started, young people wanting to help, and people feeling this is something they are able to do, engendering a feeling of worth and some outreach as people outside the congregation are taking part.

"God works in wonderful ways."