A DOZEN knitters got together to make woollen blankets for Swindon’s homeless.

Organised by craft-loving North Swindon residents, the session was part of the Big Knit project.

The women at the Saturday session sewed together woollen squares knitted by people across the area to create patchwork quilts for those on Swindon’s streets.

Tracey Major, who helped set up the weekend event at the Orbital Shopping Centre, said: “I love doing think like this for charity.

“It’s the social side of it as well, like-minded people getting together. A lot of people will donate the wool to us and we use that wool to make the squares.” She joked: “I love knitting. Knitting is my life.”

The Big Knit project was originally set up by Swindon Borough Council as part of a wellbeing programme, Tracey said.

But the volunteers took it over last year.

Since November, the group has knitted enough squares to make 35 blankets. The rugs are donated to Threshold Housing Link.

They get together every other weekend at the community hub below MP Justin Tomlinson’s offices at the Orbital to sew the woollen squares into blankets.

At a Big Knit event last October, Theresa Light, 57, jput down her needles to tell the Adver: "Doing something I enjoy for a worthwhile cause and meeting new people is a great way to spend an afternoon."

For more, visit: www.facebook.com/OrbitalBigKnit.