PICTURES: Knitters make thousands of hats for Innocent smoothie bottles

Would you wear a knitted hat shaped like an elephant?
ks170920-1 LG Knitted Smoothie Hat  phot kate
Members of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton handed over their bags of hats to Dianne Henderson, chief executive fom Age UK, front second right.ks1709201-1 SUS-170521-165906008ks170920-1 LG Knitted Smoothie Hat  phot kate
Members of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton handed over their bags of hats to Dianne Henderson, chief executive fom Age UK, front second right.ks1709201-1 SUS-170521-165906008
ks170920-1 LG Knitted Smoothie Hat phot kate Members of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton handed over their bags of hats to Dianne Henderson, chief executive fom Age UK, front second right.ks1709201-1 SUS-170521-165906008

No? Well that is okay, because it is one of 2,547 hats that have been hand-made especially for bottles of smoothies.

All the weird and wonderful designs were crafted by the Littlehampton Arcade Knitters and friends.

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They have been donated to the Age UK charity and will go on bottles of Innocent smoothies, raising more than £635 for the charity in the process.

A selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate ShemiltA selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate Shemilt
A selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate Shemilt

Diane Henderson, chief executive for the West Sussex branch of the charity, accepted the donation on Saturday at Parkside Church Hall in St. Floras Road, Littlehampton.

Diana Wade, charity co-ordinator for the Arcade Knitters, said there was a fantastic turnout for the handover: “Lots of people brought a friend. I was exhausted when I went home but it was really well done.”

For each smoothie that is sold with a hat, 25p is donated to Age UK.

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Diana said theirs would be found on top of smoothies in Sainsbury’s.

Members of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton with some of their work for charity. Picture: Kate ShemiltMembers of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton with some of their work for charity. Picture: Kate Shemilt
Members of the Arcade Knitters in Littlehampton with some of their work for charity. Picture: Kate Shemilt

The great-grandmother from Rustington made 20 of the hats, with each one taking ten minutes to complete, she said.

But this figure was eclipsed by the group’s top knitter Jackie Squires, who churned out 400 of the fashionable lid-warmers.

The Arcade Knitters were formed almost 11 years ago and you name it, the group’s 45 members have knitted it.

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Whether it is artificial breasts for masectomy patients or washcloths for cancer sufferers, the group’s creations are used for good.

A selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate ShemiltA selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate Shemilt
A selection of the hats made especially for Innocent smoothie bottles. Picture: Kate Shemilt

Through Worthing-based charity Link To Hope and St Joseph’s Church in Rustington, the group sends knitted clothes, hats and scarves to Romania and Peru. They also knit clothes for premature babies in Worthing Hospital, Worthing and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester. Diana said: “At the minute, I have got five sacks waiting to go to Romania. We have a third bedroom but we can’t get in it because it is full of knitting!

“There is always someone worse off than you; that’s what I say. My motto is: it isn’t the colour of the jumper that keeps you warm.”

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