Over 800 join Lincoln knitting group to help Koalas injured in Australian bushfires

Over 800 people have already joined a Lincoln group set up to knit pouches and mittens for koalas and other animals injured in Australia’s bushfire crisis.

Jayne Fisk from Lincoln set up ‘Paws across the Ocean’ on January 5, which already has 817 members at the time of writing. Further information and templates are also available on the page.

All items collected will be shipped directly to Australia. People can sew/knit or crochet, or donate cotton fabric or yarn, and donate to shopping costs.

The group was established after the Animal Rescue Craft Guild of Australia put out an appeal for help. They previously said pouches for baby kangaroos, mittens for koalas and wraps for bats were among the items needed, with people across the world offering their assistance.

Bushfires are an annual occurrence in Australia, but this season they started earlier and spread further than ever before, torching over 8 million hectares. Almost 2,000 houses were destroyed in the months-long crisis and fire crews are preparing for worsening conditions, with New South Wales the worst hit state.

At least 25 people and millions of animals have died since September. According to the Guardian, ecologists have grave concerns for the future of unique and endangered wildlife on Kangaroo Island where bushfires have killed thousands of koalas.

Donations & sending items

Donations can be made via Paypal to [email protected] and 100% of donations will be used to purchase fabrics and yarn to be made into items to send to Australia.

Postal items can be sent to Paws Across the Oceans, c/o 2 Garden Cottage, Hartsholme Country Park, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, LN6 0EY

There are also the following drop off points:

• Craftea Cafe, 22 Melville Street, Lincoln
• Fabric Corner, 24 Melville Street, Lincoln
• Stitch Witch, 6 Union Street, Market Rasen
• Winnies (formerly Furnichurch) next to Winthorpe Community Centre, Roman Bank, Winthorpe, Skegness

There are also currently extra drop off points at private addresses in Brigg, Gainsborough, Scopwick and Lincoln – click here for more information and to join the group.