In-Knit together

Advanced customer advisor Samantha Craig from Stoke contact centre was recently interviewed by Signal Radio about her work for the city’s homeless.

Samantha is the founder of the In-Knit Together homeless project, a volunteer group which knits items and creates care packages for homeless people in Stoke-on-Trent.

The project was started by Samantha, after she began noticing the increasing number of people sleeping rough in the Staffordshire Potteries, the industrial area encompassing the six towns of Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton.

She says she was shocked by the number of people she found who were looking for support after being left without a roof over their heads.

To help those on the streets or in shelters in the colder months, she and a group of family and friends began making blankets, scarfs, and blanket squares to help provide some comfort and better protection from the elements.

‘It would be great to get more people knitting things like scarfs, hats and jumpers,’ said Samantha. ‘The knitting needs to start in the summer so that these kinds of protective garments are ready for when the cold sets in and they’re really needed amongst the homeless.’

Advanced customer adviser Maxine Penkethman from Stoke contact centre, said: ‘I’m currently knitting baby hats for the NHS woolly hat care bundle initiative, so I’m sure with help from our amazing colleagues across our huge network we could get plenty of blanket squares, hats and scarfs knitted or wool donated to In-Knit Together.’

After success with the initiative last year, the group has now been able to put small care packages together as well provide basic toiletries. Through fundraising they have also been able to equip night shelters with new bedding.

Samantha told Signal News that the problem of homelessness is much more complicated than people may realise as it's not just an issue for those sleeping rough. It also affects people who are left without any kind of permanent residence and those who may be using sheltered temporary accommodation or ‘sofa surfing’.

She also believes that the numbers of homeless in Stoke-on-Trent is likely to get worse before it gets better, given how stretched resources are to assist those in need.

More information on the In-Knit Together volunteer group can be found on their Facebook page, Twitter page and Instagram (@inknittogether).

If you would like to help Samantha with her care packages for the homeless, please email inknittogether@gmail.com.