Loving Hands Spring Challenge

The new challenge is in!! This is the challenge as written by Lou (founder) on the site....

OK my merry little band of helpers - here we go - the Spring Challenges for 2009 - these will run from today Thursday 15th January to Saturday 11th April (Summer challenges can then be announced on Easter Sunday - very fitting I thought :0).

I have had so many fantastic suggestions that it has been very hard choosing this time - some I have decided are great for summer or autumn so have put them on a back burner till then, some duplicated things we already do so are well covered (quite a few of the suggestions were to give to groups who send things to Romania, Algeria, Bulgara etc which we do already through Blythswood, Linda McDonald and Scotia Aid - it would be a shame to divert the aid away from groups we know are definitely getting the items to where they need to be).

Right there are 4 sections to this challenge so hopfully there will be something to suit everyone

Challenge 1 - 300 items for the elderly to keep them warm in the sub zero temperatures they get over in places like Bulgaria, Romania etc. These will be delivered by Blythswood Care and could be anything at all eg. Hats, Gloves, Mittens, Scarves, Socks, Lap Rugs, Shawls, Cardigans, Jumpers, Bedsocks etc. I spoke to the people at Blythswoods depots in Deephaven and Glasgow last week and they tell me that these items are their priority items right now so they will be ever so grateful to get them:0)


Challenge 2 - 200 toys for our ambulance and fire crews - these are trauma toys and can be taken out in poly bags tucked in a corner so if the crews come upon a trapped or badly injured child they can give them a toy to distract them and the child can then keep the toy afterwards. Toys need to be around 8 to 10 inches and can be anything you like - dolls, bears, rabbits clowns = get your old Jean Greenhowe and Alan Dart patterns out and have fun :0)


Challenge 3 - For our stitchers - Suzanne and her hubby David came across a wonderful idea for this one. A Scottish Bird Conservation group had an appeal out looking for bags to use to save baby puffins who are blown from their nests on St Kilda ! (Now officially know as pufflings according to our Suzanne). Suzanne has been in touch and they are delighted that we want to help out. They said they can use as many bags as we give them as there were other wildlife groups jumped on the bandwagon and said to them if they had any spare could they have them for things like baby hedgehogs (everyone say aaaaw

The bags need to be around 30cm square (12 inches) made from dark coloured fabric - cotton preferably - and have no seams on the inside for the wee birds to catch their claws or beaks on (so use french or enclosed seams or maybe line the bags) - then finish off with a drawstring to close (Wil Abakhan is looking out for offcuts of dark cotton as we speak which he kindly says he will donate to us if he finds some).

Challenge 4 - You will groan and so Oh no not again but this one is boobs once more. I have been approached by an exec from Leeds Helath Board and asked if we can provide 300 knitted boobs for all of their midwives and breast feeding instructors to use to teach breastfeeding. They are willing to help out with cost of materials (this would cover the postage down to Leeds as well) and also to give a donation to Linda McDonald Foundation on our behalf by way of saying thank you for providing them,

Thought it was another great 'Pay it Forward' project as it not only gives all those health professionals the means to teach breastfeeding which is very important - it also gives Linda help to get the next container off to Bulgaria!


So there we have it girls - Winter Challenge over and Spring one officially launched - hope you are happy with it - I will keep looking for new and original ideas for future challenges and don't forget you don't have to just make challenge items - we still need all of the items on our wish lists so just carry on with those if you are happier making them