TRISHA Pickvance’s story is one that speaks to kindness and love across continents.

Last year, the Durban North resident moved to the United Kingdom and joined the St James’ Church in Stratford-on-Avon, Derbyshire.

Pickvance, who is also a member of the St Martin’s Church in Durban North, still commutes to Durban to visit her elderly mother.

While in the UK in December last year, she informed parishioners about an outreach programme she has been a part of for many years.

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The Bulwer Outreach programme sees members of St Martin’s Church, as well as the community in Durban North, knit and crochet hundreds of items, including clothes, beanies and blankets, for the community of Bulwer in the foothills of the Drakensberg, specifically for winter.

What followed was the church community in the UK donating 700 knitted squares to the programme which will now be used in the upcoming Knit-A-Thon.

“When I moved to the UK, I joined the church community, and at the time, they were knitting squares for a huge Christmas Tree in the Church. The structure was just incredible – it was 17 feet tall and had 3 300 knitted squares covering it. Our job was to cover the tree in knitted squares as well as knit all the decorations. While we were doing this, I happened to mention the St Martin’s Church outreach project and the winter-warmth knitting of squares and beanies for the Bulwer Community, and I didn’t think any more of it.

“After Christmas, the Tree was dismantled, and the community surprised me by donating 700 squares to make into blankets for Bulwer. It was just such a beautiful gesture of kindness, and it’s the journey of a community there blessing an impoverished community in KZN. The act of love just speaks to a community without borders who opened their hearts for others. We transported the 700 squares between two people and brought them back to Durban North and are currently distributing them to happy sewers to make them into blankets,” she said.

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The aim, Pickvance explained, is to make 35 blankets by connecting 20 squares into each completed blanket.

“We’ve bagged all the squares and numbered them so those who’d like to participate can give back by either knitting them in the next few weeks in the lead-up to the Knit-A-Thon or joining in on the day. There is a message in each bag of squares explaining how they came about and speaking on the cause,” she said.

• This year’s Knit-A-Thon will be held at St Martin’s Church, 12 Chelsea Drive, Durban North, on Saturday, April 20, between 09:00 and 16:00. The event will take place on the open patio/courtyard between the church and hall. For more information, contact Sharon at 083 236 5558.

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