Knit a hat for a sailor...

Forgotten sailors
Originally uploaded by kafeole.

Sometimes I get things in my inbox that need to be shared with you. This just arrived via the Textile Directory newsletter

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The Sailors’ Society is a charity based in Southampton that exists to enhance and enrich seafarers’ lives throughout the world. There are 1.2 million sailors employed across the world, often spending weeks, if not months, at a time at sea. There are many ways The Society supports seafarers; by visiting them on their ships and offering them practical or spiritual support, transporting them to the nearest Seafarers’ Centre or town, and assisting when they are in difficulty. The most important objective for seafarers when they arrive in port is to contact their loved ones, something few can do while at sea.

During the winter months The Sailors’ Society runs a campaign to encourage knitters to create woolly hats, which they distribute throughout the year to sailors who are often unprepared for the cold conditions they encounter at sea. The Sailors’ Society loves to receive hand-knitted woolly hats, and last year they distributed over 21,000 hats worldwide to seafarers, as well as selling them on their website to generate much needed funds. If you would like to knit a woolly hat and need a pattern to help you, please call The Sailors’ Society on 023 8051 5950.

This year The Sailors’ Society has introduced some fantastic Christmas gift ideas to help support their valuable work. One of their most popular gifts is a knitting pack containing everything required for the recipient to knit their own woolly hat. Also available are tea towels and tasty Christmas puddings, as well as a fantastic range of charity gifts. For more information about the gifts available please click here.

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For more information about the Sailors’ Society, please visit www.biss.org.uk or email admin@biss.org.uk.

(The Sailors’ Society changed its name from The British & International Sailors’ Society on 1 December 2007)

I'd call this Craftivism, wouldn't you?