Cuddles for the traumatised
KENSINGTON B – 60 blankets were handed over to the Randburg Trauma Centre after residents respond to Donna Sipman's call for knitters and sewers.
Donna Sipman is an ordinary resident, with an ordinary job, but, since 2013, she’s been on an extraordinary journey providing comfort to trauma victims, one blanket at a time.
Sipman encouraged residents to pick up their knitting needles and knit for the less fortunate … and knit they did!
Many residents, including schools, and even guys, rose to the challenge and learnt how to knit and crochet. Slowly but surely, the knitted squares began trickling in and eventually, on 1 September, Sipman was able to hand over 6o fully knitted blankets to the trauma centre at the Randburg Police Station in Kensington B.
“When I started the blanket project I used to do all the knitting myself and I would carry my knitting to braais and family outings. I completed 23 blankets the first time,” she said. She further explained that she had a team who sewed the donated squares into blankets and admitted, this was the tough part.
Estelle de Villiers, one of the sewers, said they had to stitch the blankets together as the knitted squares streamed in. “It was quite challenging as we received squares knitted with all types of wool, sequences and styles – but we managed to put the blankets together.
“Residents have put so much effort into the challenge and the bar has definitely been raised for next year.”
Sipman thanked all the residents who rallied behind her and who took the time to knit. She said she was delighted when staff members from Nemai Consulting handed over 100 knitted squares and pupils from North Riding High School donated scarves and knitted squares.
“There have been so many different hands involved in this project and it was quite a lot, but through the commitment shown by the residents, we handed over 60 beautiful blankets to the trauma centre,” she said excitedly.
Sipman also received a lot of baby clothes donated by the St Thomas Anglican Church in Linden and she’s planning on donating these to the paediatric and neonatal wards at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
Details: Donna Sipman 083 299 1575; donna_sipman@live.co.za
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