Going 'flat out on their needles” is how Betty Higgins describes the tight-knit group who've been meeting weekly in her Hairini home.
Every Monday the Daintee Ladies Knitting Group have been busy knitting items for the Tauranga district, in what was once the surgery attached to the house of my great uncle Dr Ray Harvey. Having recently passed through the purly gates, I think he'd have loved to know the legacy he began of showing care for people's health and wellbeing continues, within the same walls. 'We bought the house 21 years ago from Dr Harvey,” says Betty. 'The knitting group started back when we were Ohauiti Country Women's Institute.
'We were asked to knit beanies for the sailors at the Seamen's Mission about 16-17 years ago.”
Twiddle muffs
Betty says the national institute then asked if the group could make ‘twiddle muffs' for people with dementia.
'You attach different things onto the muffs, for people to twiddle with,” says Betty.
Betty says unfortunately the institute had to close after 40 years, due to people leaving or dying. 'I was president at the time. When it closed we wondered what we could do. I have a room out back and we thought we'd keep knitting.”
The group meets every Monday with up to nine ladies and two outworkers who also knit from home. And they've extended further afield.
'My daughter brings knitting from a group in Thames. We had our lunch at Oaktree Restaurant on Friday and she brought 26 teddies and two little cuddly blankets. That's all going to Tauranga Hospital Emergency Department.
'Other items will go to the children's ward and prem ward. We feel the need is here so everything is donated here.”
Combining forces
Combining forces with the Thames Knitwits, the two groups have donated nearly 1000 knitted or crocheted items this year to Tauranga Hospital, 'from tiny headbands to jerseys for 10-year-olds and everything in between”. The group has been more prolific in 2022, completing 977 items. For the past two years the total was 700 items each year. The group meets Mondays 9.15am.

Clothing and toys made by the Daintee Ladies Knitting Group. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.