SEWcial Sewing for Charity

Hi - my name is Karron, and I am a former primary school deputy head teacher. I now run a small business called Crafty Kitz. As well as providing private sewing tuition and running sewing courses, I organise SEWcial groups in community centres in the South Durham area. Sewists of all abilities are welcome to join us to share their love of sewing, or to learn to sew. Members bring their own projects to work on in a friendly and supportive group where they can develop their sewing skills, and learn at their own pace.

Our sewists would now like to share their sewing skills by supporting good causes. We have chosen two different projects we would like to sew for - North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust, and the Pachamama Project. These projects require volunteers to sew drain bags to donate to breast cancer patients in our local hospitals, and to stitch sanitary products for women who are experiencing period poverty around the world.

Using our sewing skills to support others is an important part of our SEWcial group ethos. Many of our members join our SEWcial groups because they have overcome personal challenges, and also to socialise and share their interest in sewing with others.

Members of our SEWcial groups are offering to give their time and sewing skills free of charge to help others, but we need your help to buy the materials needed to support our chosen charities. We are hoping to run some special events in the New Year where we will encourage more sewists to join us for a mammoth sewing session, and where we can distribute packs of materials for others to make up items for our charities at home.

Sewing is a mindful hobby which has a hugely positive impact on mental health. Sewing for charity together gives our SEWcial group members a purpose, together with a great sense of achievement when being part of, and making a contribution, to the wider community.

All funds raised through our Go Fund Me page will be used to purchase fabrics, threads and other haberdashery needed to sew for our named charities. Whilst some items can be made from recycled materials, we do need to buy some new fabrics to ensure that items are made to the specifications required by the charities. Information about how the monies raised are used will be totally transparent, and will be published on the Crafty Kitz website.