When Hazelgrove Court Care Home’s activities coordinator, Sharon Lewis, heard about the appeal she immediately turned to The Knitting Nannas, who love getting involved and using their lifelong skills to support others.

The group, made up of residents ranging from their 80s to over 100 years of age, set to work producing colourful little jumpers for our Knits for Nature program, which has been hugely successful for over 20 years.

It is not the first time this incredible group has taken up their knitting needles for a wildlife cause. Last year, they made national and international headlines when they produced blankets for orphaned baby rhinos in South Africa.

Knitter, Joyce Wooffindin, 83, said: “I cannot believe I am knitting a jumper for a penguin, but this is the sort of thing we do at Hazelgrove.”

Joyce Baxtrem, 94, said: “I have knitted jumpers for both my children but have never knit for a penguin.”

Sharon said: “I love finding worthwhile knitting projects for our residents and they have loved doing these. We have now posted them to Australia and we’ve been in touch with the charity to make sure they arrived safely.

“Our Knitting Nannas group has proved exceptionally popular. The residents love getting involved and using their lifelong skills to support others. It gives them a sense of purpose and pride – and it’s always incredible to receive pictures of cute animals wearing their knitted items.”

Rebecca Passlow, Executive Officer at The Penguin Foundation, said: “How lovely to hear from The Knitting Nannas at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, in England, and thank you to them for their generous donation.

The Penguin Foundation is so grateful for the support from generous knitters around the world. To continue raising vital funds for the Penguin Foundation, we gladly accept jumpers, which are sold with plush penguin toys in our retail stores. Knitting and crochet patterns can be found at Penguin Foundation • Little penguin jumper pattern download for knitters and crocheters!