The fires here in Australia are of a magnitude that can only be described as a National Disaster. Many people have lost homes,property and some their lives. The fires not only affect people but have and are having a massive impact on our wildlife.
Many of us are not in a position to help in huge ways but little things count. So if you are asking yourself what can I do to help?
If you craft, sew, knit, crochet you can help. There are several organisations here in Australia that are working madly to make pouches for injured wildlife. Here are a couple of links to, two of these groups:
The Animal Rescue Craft Guild
https://www.facebook.com/arfsncrafts/?tn-str=k*F&hc_location=group_dialog
The Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild
https://www.facebook.com/groups/arfsncrafts/
Link to Audio from 3AW radio with Spokesperson for one of the Australian Animal Rescue Guilds Avalon Llwellyn. https://www.3aw.com.au/knitters-from-all-over-the-world-unite-to-help-australian-animals-affected-by-bushfire/?fbclid=IwAR1cq7v0ngWbkx78VsZoOmMMlQdzsjIfnKKPYFsDy0aHEY8cqtnwkcMSDcw
Shared post from Animal Rescue Craft Guild
One person from these groups that I had contact with, told me that wildlife carers are reporting things such as 1000's of bats just dropping from the sky. Those that survive need wraps to recover in.
These people are co-ordinating the making of pouches and wraps for injured wildlife. If you have the skill and ability to make pouches out of fabric, knit or crochet, you can then help in this way.
Not everyone has the ability or time for this but I know many of us have yarn stashes that we can never work our way through in this lifetime. The groups listed above have thousands of people who work making pouches etc, but many of these helpers are pensioners, so getting some free yarn helps. Any Wool, acrylic, cotton, bamboo, alpaca are all fine! The donated yarn is then distributed out to those who can make the pouches. So I encourage everyone to go through your yarn stashes and help in this small way.
I have already sorted through my yarn stash and sent a massive bag to them. Such a small thing to do to help and anything is better than nothing.
A few weeks back I gave my new crochet Hygge Shawl to a local radio station to auction or raffle to help the wildlife effected by the fires. Again this is a small thing but add all those small things together and we can make a difference.
Hygge Shawl
If you are able to help make pouches or donate yarn, click on one of the links in my post and message those in charge of these organisations.
Bendigo Woollen Mills have just announced that they will be donating $1 from every ball sold in the month of January to the bushfire disaster appeal. This is really nice yarn and many of my patterns use their yarns. So you now have the chance of increasing your yarn stash, while helping the bushfire victims.
One of my head warmers is made from Bendigo Luxury and my Mosaic and Dragonfly Patch blankets are made from their cotton. One of my flower blankets which will be up to test shortly is made from their 4 ply
https://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/
SMALL THINGS, WHEN ADDED TOGETHER BECOME BIG THINGS!
Tawny Frogmouth in a crochet nest