Macmillan Comfort Blanket Campaign

• Location: 

  Wakefield, Leeds

• Posted: 03/09/2009 14:02

Macmillan Comfort Blanket Campaign launched for World’s Biggest Coffee Morning

25/08/09

The keenest knitters in Leeds are being called to join a leading cancer charity’s Comfort Blanket Campaign and help raise awareness while they knit.

Macmillan Cancer Support is inviting experts and amateurs alike to pick up their knitting needles and create anything from a single patchwork square to a full blanket.

Macmillan wants this to be a sociable occasion and is suggesting knitters sign up to their flagship fundraiser, World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, where they can meet up with friends and stitch their comfort blanket together, with a mug of coffee and some freshly baked cakes at hand.

Blankets that are donated to Macmillan will be used to support and raise awareness of the charity’s campaign to freeze out fuel poverty for cancer patients.

Macmillan offers grants to vulnerable cancer patients struggling to pay their fuel bills so it’s vital that more people register for a coffee morning, therefore helping Macmillan to provide services to even more people affected by cancer.

Jamie Strachan, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Leeds says: "People undergoing cancer treatment have to spend more time at home as they're often too ill to work. They feel the cold more because their immune system is weakened, and put the heating on more so their fuel bills are higher; all at a time when their household income plummets - they're trapped. It's a vicious circle and that's why it's so important to freeze out fuel poverty for cancer patients.

I have decided to get involved as I find knitting a fun way to relax after a busy day, and to know that something I have made will be going to help someone in fuel poverty because of their cancer diagnosis is an added incentive”

Macmillan is supported by leading knitting magazine, The Knitter, and designer handknits company Rowan, who have lined up some of the biggest stars of the knitting world to design patterns for the campaign, including Debbie Bliss, Alice Starmore, Meg Swansen, Marie Wallin, Jared Flood and Teva Durham.

The first pattern will run in August issue of The Knitter (on sale 22nd July) and all of the patterns are available as a free download from the Macmillan website www.macmillan.org.uk/theknitter, where people can also register for their coffee morning or make a donation.

Readers can either send their completed blankets to The Knitter (see address at end of release) or bring their squares along to the Knitting & Stitching Show in London in October 8th-11th to stitch into blankets.

Juliet Bernard, Editor of The Knitter said: “Sadly one in three of us will get cancer. We really want as many people as possible to get involved with the campaign and get their needles out for a good cause. With the host of stars lined up we’re expecting to see some really beautiful blankets!”

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning takes place on 25 September. The money raised will help fund essential information services, emotional support, expert medical care and financial help for people living with cancer as well as their family and carers. As treatments improve, more people are living with and beyond cancer so there’s never been a more important time to help raise funds for Macmillan.

Visit www.macmillan.org.uk/theknitter for full information, to download patterns and to register for your own coffee morning.


About Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is a leading cancer care charity in the UK that seeks to improve the lives of people affected by cancer, their families and carers. There are over two million people living with cancer in the UK and it is Macmillan’s ambition to reach every one of these people so they can feel more in control of their future and have a better quality of life.

You can see full details on the Fuel Poverty campaign here - www.macmillan.org.uk/fuelpoverty

For more information about Macmillan Cancer Support please contact Jamie Strachan on 01924 232448 or jstrachan@macmillan.org.uk

About Rowan
Rowan is delighted to be joining forces with Macmillan and The Knitter for this great initiative supporting those who need it the most.

Rowan is an internationally renowned designer handknits company offering contemporary designs and yarns to knitters. Founded in 1978, Rowan now has over 7,500 subscribers to The Rowan International Club worldwide and boasts a hugely successful Design Consultant concept, where Rowan staff are on hand in John Lewis stores throughout the UK to offer help and advice to the consumer. Rowan has also expanded it’s interest in popular craft by incorporating fabrics into it’s range, introducing names such as Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler to the premium fabric market.

Completed blankets can be sent to:
The Knitter Macmillan Comfort Blanket
Future Publishing Ltd,
30 Monmouth Street,
Bath, BA1 2BW

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