Nice and kneesy does it for Edinburgh care home residents

The 'Anything Goes Knitting Group' has given the covers to Marionville Court Care Home which is run by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The circle of knitters hit the headlines last year when they knitted 700 colourful squares to cover the trees at Leith Links for the "cool wool" part of the Leith Festival.

Those squares have now been recycled and turned into a series of blankets and other knitted items for various good causes across the city.

Marionville Court is receiving 12 knee blankets, six shawls, one bed jacket and one single bed size throw for a raffle prize.

Councillor Paul Edie, Health Leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: "It's great that Anything Goes has decided to recycle the squares which were such a hit at the Leith Festival.

"I'm sure the residents at Marionville will love their colourful designs and I would like to than all the knitters for spending so much time putting together these lovely blankets and shawls."

Jan Brunton, from 'Anything Goes Knitting Group', said: "It's lovely to knit for the residents of Marionville Court. I really feel this has involved me in the local community as well as keeping my hands busy and out of the biscuit tin! It's also great that most of this lovely knitting has been made from recycled wool."

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Other organisations benefiting from the recycled squares include: the Early Years Nursery in Leith (cot blankets, pram blankets, hats, jackets, scarves and gloves), the Seafield Dog & Cat Home (blankets) and the New Restalrig Church Christmas Shoe Box Appeal (hats, scarves, knitted toys and pencil cases).

The Anything Goes Knitting Group is part of the Edinburgh Ageing Well Project which promotes healthy lifestyles for people over 50 years in the local community.

The project is a partnership between NHS Lothian, Edinburgh Leisure and Pilmeny Development Project. It aims to increase the expectation of good health and social wellbeing in later life. The volunteers who are all 50+ achieve this by encouraging and supporting participation in physical activity.

Having started with just two people they now have 14 regular knitters and have just celebrated their first anniversary.

The group were highly commended for their contribution to Innovation Openings at the Get Up and Go Awards in 2011.