KNYSNA NEWS - Two ambassadors of the global non-profit organisation 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day put up a stall showcasing the NPO's work in the Knysna Mall on Saturday 8 February, the event also serving as the official launch of the NPO's local branch, called the Knysna KnitWits.

Lynton Lefevre, the NPO's brand and marketing manager, and Knysna resident Colleen Biddlecombe, head of Knysna KnitWits, were also on hand to provide members of the public with information about 67 Blankets, and to encourage them to join the initiative.

"We're in the process of starting a branch in Knysna, building a team," Biddlecombe, an IT implementation consultant, said.

"I want to be able to meet the needs in the local area, at the very least get somewhere towards that. I see a lot of people who are cold, needy.

'Incredible power'

"The power of a blanket to give you a bit of warmth is incredible.

"When you take a blanket and wrap it around someone, you can see their whole spirit lift.

'Something that lasts'

"I would love to get children involved - that's the future of the country; we want to build something that lasts."

Biddlecombe, who moved to Knysna from Johannesburg three years ago, said "67 Blankets is the 'how' for people who want to help but do not know how".

Squares and scarves

Two Knysna retirees, Pam Beck and Calita van der Merwe, members of Knysna KnitWits, were also at the mall, Beck making squares used to make up blankets, and Van der Merwe making scarves.

"It keeps my hands busy, my fingers supple," Beck said of her charity work.

Van der Merwe said her making scarves for 67 Blankets was "a way of giving back to people who are less fortunate".

Knysna residents who wish to join Knysna KnitWits can contact Biddlecombe ("WhatsApp only please") at 083 273 9503 or email her at CBiddlecombe@gmail.com

'Hugest Happiness Blanket'

67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day was founded in 2013 by Carolyn Steyn, the wife of insurance magnate Douw Steyn, after she was challenged by Zelda la Grange, Nelson Mandela's assistant, to crochet 67 blankets in honour of Mandela Day - one for each year of his public service.

This year, to celebrate the founding of 67 Blankets, donated blankets will be transported to Gqeberha, where, on 20 March, the UN's International Day of Happiness, they will be laid out at Nelson Mandela University to, the NPO says, "make the world's Hugest Happiness Blanket".

'Compassion, unity'

"67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day has grown into a global movement of volunteers dedicated to knitting hope and happiness into the fabric of South African communities," the NPO said.

"From breaking world records to transforming public spaces with breathtaking blanket installations, the organisation has maintained its compassion, unity, and giving-back ethos."

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