Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns

No1Alicat · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 8

[size=18]I've been knitting for this project - such a great cause. They need more knitters!!!!!![/size]

Welcome to the Baby Pack Project

Hi Alison, thanks for your offer of help. Yes BPP is still up and running. The best way to post items is to use the cheapest surface mail service and any post office can advise you on that. We have not experienced any probs with mail from UK, but be sure to put a note inside with your address so the package can be acknowledged in writing. Following info may help you too. Please feel free to put our address on your yarn website etc.

Post donations of baby items/wear to:

The Baby Pack Project c/o Val Bailey
Box 654, Shelly Beach 4265,
South Africa.

Website : http://www.freewebs.com/babypackproject/

INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT:

Gill lives in Kwa-Zulu-Natal. Upon learning that newborn babies at a local clinic were sent home wrapped in newspaper, she sprang into action. The Baby Pack Project has grown out of that seed of compassion sown by that lovely lady back in 2005. The Baby Pack Project make up “baby-packs” for mothers of newborn babies who are destitute or living in abject poverty . Each pack contains a cloth nappy/diaper, 1 pin and waterproof pants, a towel, soap, hat, booties or mittens and one babygro, a jumper or sweater, a small blanket & a little knitted toy.
The Baby Pack Project was contacted by Margate Child Welfare Dept who had heard about the Project. They requested baby-packs to distribute to mothers of newborns in some of the poorest areas of the province. Approx 30 packs a month now go to Margate Child Welfare Department. The Baby Pack Project also continue to supply Margate Parish with baby items for the Ntabeni clinic.
The contents of the baby-packs are items donated to the Baby Pack Project from as far away as Ireland, Britain, America, Canada and Spain. Our supporters work tirelessly knitting, crocheting & sewing babywear, cloth nappies, blankets etc and then post them to Val Bailey at Box 654, Shelly Beach 4265, South Africa. Val makes up each pack in her own time. Everyone involved in, or associated with, the Baby Pack Project is a volunteer and no-one gets paid.
You Can Help:
Become one of our knitters - blankets & baby clothes are needed. Spread news about the Baby Pack Project, post us items that can be used in our baby-packs. Do you belong to an online community or forum, a local community centre or church where folks might help? Has your own baby outgrown clothes & you don’t know of anyone who needs them. If you can spare or make an item please post it to the address below (use the cheapest method to post -any post office can advise you on that). All help is welcome & will make a huge difference to babies’ born into the poorest of circumstances & to their start in life.

Willow · Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1225

I have recently had a baby, who is very quickly growing out of many of his clothes. They are all in good condition and i would love for them to be of use to people who really needs them.

I will look into postage costs asap.
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11 items finished of 12 planned.
WIP =Hoody for Daniel, Phone sock.

modelwidow · Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 1036 Location: Kent

I've been making up packs for a while, knitting the bits I can and buying the rest in charity shops. I know I don't need to make up a pack as such but I enjoy doing it that way.

I send them by surface mail and the packs I send based on the original list on the website
a cloth nappy, 1 pin and waterproof pants, soap, hat, booties, one babygro,a vest, a jumper or sweater, a small blanket & a little knitted toy.
usually costs around £3- £4 to send (give or take) just to give you a bit of an idea.

I always get a lovely email from Val letting me know it has arrived. I think she is wonderful, not only to organise and distribute all of these but to take the time to email her thanks as well.

I'll definitely be sending more, I used to donate to charities by monthly DD but after all the hoohaa about how cash was spent I decided I would rather pay out for postage to send items to something like this where I know it will reach those in need.

Willow · Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 1225

Thanks for that i will get some brown paper this week. It may sound selfish but i feel better about sending these items to people who really need them then putting them out for recycle or selling them on.
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11 items finished of 12 planned.
WIP =Hoody for Daniel, Phone sock.

modelwidow · Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 1036 Location: Kent

It's not selfish at all, - quite the opposite, the babies really will benefit, and if you get a warm glow as well, so much the better Very Happy

Just thought I'd mention - I pack mine in carrier bags - high street ones like M&S, Next etc rather than supermarket as they are a bit tougher,(turned inside out so they are plain-ish) it's a bit of recycling, I don't have to buy anything special and they're waterproof into the bargain. (but then again I'm well known for being ~~a cheapskate~~ resourceful Laughing

)