Sewing group needs a boost

A LOCAL sewing group is looking for volunteers to help out in the new year.

The group was started by Moireen Stacey in 1993, as she felt there was nothing for women in the Cato Manor area to do to empower themselves. She suggested a sewing group, which was met with enthusiasm from local women.

Machines were donated and Moireen started the group, which meets once a week at the Cato Manor Clinic from 1pm to 3.30pm. She currently has between 12 and 14 women who attend her classes. The women pay R5 a month to join and are provided with tea and sandwiches. Moireen also sells second-hand clothes to them at a cheap price, which helps her raise funds for machine repairs.

“The women learn to make T-shirts, shorts, dresses, blouses and hats, which they enjoy doing. My mother sewed all our clothes when I was young and she taught me. With all the different kinds of machines we have donated to the group, I've had to learn how to sew on all different kinds of machines, which I teach the ladies, as none of them have ever used a sewing machine before,” she said.

Moireen is helped by Colleen Price, who assists at classes, and the material is all cut out at home before being taken to the women who choose what they want to sew.

Moireen said all her friends know she runs the classes and she gets a lot of donations of fabric.

She said she would appreciate help from the community in the form of donations of funds, cotton and material, and help from a volunteer or two who would make tea and sandwiches at the class once a week, and cut out garments.

If you can help, contact Moireen on 031 573 1695.