On Saturday June 11, Kiama knitters will pick up their needles and yarn to celebrate Worldwide Knit in Public Day at Blue Haven Bonaira.

They invite everyone to come, have a knit or just enjoy a Devonshire tea and buy some of the crafts on sale as a fundraiser for Friends of Bonaira.

Kiama Mayor Neil Reilly, will open the event at 10am.

“In return, the Kiama Knitters Guild and Wrap with Love will present him with a pair of knitted fingerless texting mittens,” says event organiser Boni Maywald – a suitably useful handmade mayoral gift.

The Kiama Worldwide Knit in Public Day is one of hundreds held around the world. This annual global event shows that knitting is for all ages, not just for grannies. Knitting is fun, especially when you are doing it with friends, and you can make things you can be proud of.

Two dozen local handmade blankets will be on display at Bonaira and a couple of blankets will be prizes for a raffle.

The day is not just a celebration of knitting, but also a chance for Friends of Bonaira, family and supporters of the Bonaira Care Home and ILU Residents to get together once again.

Residents from Blue Haven Terralong and Blue Haven Bonaira have been busy making craft which will also be available for sale at the Bonaira event.

Over the past year, Kiama’s craftspeople have been busy knitting squares to be sewn together to make wraps and blankets. COVID has meant that while group knit-ins have been restricted, it hasn’t stopped the solo knitter from being busy.

“Through the past two years of COVID many local community groups have been through difficult closures and restrictions,” says Boni.

“But through it all, our locals have kept on making and contributing what they can in their homes, including hand-stitched blankets for distribution through Wrap With Love, to support those in need of warmth and TLC.”

Boni and husband Peter Maywald gather up these blankets and squares and drive them up to the Wrap With Love warehouse in Alexandria.

From here, the blankets are sent out to people in need in countries such as Armenia, Cambodia, Syria and Ukraine and more recently to bushfire and flood affected people in Australia.

“Each year our area donates around 440 finished blankets,” says Boni. “This year we will display two dozen of the best locally made blankets on Worldwide Knit in Public Day to share some of the skills and joy in making, once again in a public event, especially for those so severely impacted by rolling lockdowns of the care home over the past two years.”

BH Terralong crafters have been supporting residents of the care home for many years, through fundraising organised under the Friends of Blue Haven, more recently renamed (with the 2019 move of the care home) to Friends of Bonaira.

Carers, friends and family of those living in Bonaira Aged Care will be encouraged to help their loved ones share in the event (a fete by any other name) in whatever way they are able, as arrangements at Matterson Hall will optimise their inclusion and access.

Worldwide Knit in Public Day: Craft sales, Raffle, Devonshire Teas, Meet the Makers.

Saturday June 11, 10am, Matterson Hall,

Blue Haven Bonaira,