67 Blankets keep KZN flood victims warm with knitted blankets from across the province

THE 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day organisation has teamed up with humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers to provide much-needed warmth with colourful knitted blankets to those in need over the cold winter months.

This year hundreds of blankets made by KZN KnitWits will not form part of the Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope display.

Instead, the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day organisation said every blanket lovingly crafted by KnitWits in KZN was donated directly to Gift of the Givers in Durban on April 29.

The organisation said the blankets were donated for immediate distribution to those suffering in the wake of severe flooding that hit the province recently.

“KZN Ambassador Sue Eslick rounded up all the KZN blankets she could and, together with fellow ambassador Caroline Smart and Sue’s daughter Ashley, she delivered over 220 blankets to the Gift of the Givers office,” said the organisation.

The Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope made by member “KnitWits” around the country was set to be displayed yesterday at Steyn City School, Steyn City.

THE Gift of the Givers Arrive to collect the blankets seen in the Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope display organised by the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day organisation. | 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day SA Facebook page.

The organisation said after the display, the Gift of the Givers will then distribute the individual blankets to people in need ahead of what is expected to be a bitterly cold winter.

This would give small but meaningful tokens of hope to the “rainbow nation”, it said.

Steyn said she hopes that the symbolic vision that the Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope represents will lift the spirits of the frontline workers this year and remind them of their immense value after a difficult few years.

“This year, we look forward to honouring all our frontline workers, who have worked so tirelessly and selflessly through the pandemic,

“It’s the ideal opportunity to celebrate all our healthcare workers, teachers, police and emergency services workers, garbage collectors and all those who went out to work on the frontlines, often at great risk to themselves and their families,” she said.

KNITTED blankets from around South Africa formed part of the Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope project which was on display at Steyn City School, Steyn City. | 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day SA Facebook page.