By Gemma Kavanagh

Winter time can be very hard on older people, as many as 25,000 older people’s lives are at risk because of the cold.  Innocent Smoothies have teamed up with Age Action Ireland to help combat this issue.

“Now in its eighth year, the innocent Big Knit is still a fantastic and engaging campaign that helps us keep older people warmer during the winter months. The money raised from the Big Knit funds goes to our Care & Repair programme, which helps more than 23,000 older people every year.” Justin Moran, Age Action Ireland.

The idea started in 2008 when the team asked people to knit little woolly hats. The hats were then placed on the innocent smoothie bottles and sold in stores. For each one sold they made a donation of 30c to Age Action.

“We are really proud of the Big Knit and what it does to help older people stay warm and well in winter. Over the past seven years, we’ve worked with Age Action to achieve great results and this year we are aiming for even greater results. With the help of everyone around Ireland, we are aiming to get 100,000 knitted hats on to the tops of our little smoothie bottles” Blathnaid Mc Kenna from Innocent drinks.

The little idea has done fantastically over the last few years. So far the people of Ireland have knitted an astonishing 455,000 hats. And raised over €140,000 for charities like Age Action.

Last year the Big Knit raised over €20,000 which funded 24,000 DIY jobs for 19,800 older people in 34 locations around the country and 2,400 queries to the Age Action Helpline on issues including fuel, poverty, benefits and entitlements.

The stall was a huge attraction at the Knitting and Stitching show at the RDS this year. There were men and women of all ages sitting around tables chatting making beautiful coloured hats for the bottles.

If you would like to help out, the team ask that you please send in your hats in by 31 July 2017 and keep your eyes peeled for smoothies wearing little hats in stores from October 2017.

Put all your hats in an envelope along with a note clearly stating:

• How many you’ve knitted
• The date
• Your name and address

Then send them all through to:

The Big Knit 2017,

Innocent Drinks,

Fruit Towers,

2 Ballsbridge Park,

Dublin 4