Cramlington charity spreads joy with craft kits for older people

Cramlington-based creative charity Northern Butterflies created and distributed 200 craft packs to older adults in Northumberland after a grant from Home Instead Charities.

Northern Butterflies creates high-quality art to be enjoyed by the wider community, supporting service users to develop their confidence and creative skills, by creating art, which is shared through exhibitions, installations and workshops.

As part of Home Instead’s aim to change the face of ageing, their charitable arm aims to bring joy and happiness to ageing adults around the country.

The group put together 200 knitting packs, complete with instructions and everything needed to get started knitting.

Mary Duncan, one of the volunteers who helps to run the charity, is a keen knitter, and visited Age UK’s ‘social Friday’ group in Cramlington to deliver a knitting workshop using the knitting kits.

Samantha Goodlet, who runs the charity, said: “Northern Butterflies learners and volunteers enjoy learning new skills, sharing these skills, and supporting the local community with their creativity and imagination.

"Everyone in the studio participated in creating the craft packs and thoroughly enjoyed this new process.

"Learners feel they have given something back to their community and look forward to creating new craft packs in the near future and have started looking at developing outreach sessions for those in care homes.”

Guy Kirk, director of Home Instead South-East Northumberland, said: “Our clients really enjoyed receiving the packs and we are proud to support such a great local charity bringing joy to people’s lives.”