Knit one, purl hundreds! Knitting sisters raise more than £2k for charity

A University staff member with a knack for needlepoint is turning woollen wares into charity cash in memory of a much-missed relative.

Debbie Brumby has been a Midwife for 22 years, but since the end of 2021 has worked as a Sessional Clinical Assessor for the University of Northampton Test of Competence Centre.

But when she’s not busy assessing the skills and knowledge of non-UK trained nursing and midwifery professions, Debbie and her sister Angie Rose are busy with the knitting needles raising funds for good causes.

The siblings have been knitting and crocheting since they were children, schooled in crafting excellence by their mum, who was herself a “prolific knitter.”

Fast forward a few years, and the sisters are running a veritable cottage industry of woollen wears they sell to support county charities, and the drive to do this stems from a personal tragedy.

Angie (pictured on the left, with Debbie on her right) says: “In 1995 my daughter Donna died in a road traffic accident, leaving us absolutely devastated. Debbie and I set up Donna’s Angels in her memory, at first as an informal group for Donna’s family and friends to help them cope with the fallout of losing someone we held – and continue to hold – very close to our hearts.

“This group evolved into something more powerful as we wanted to keep her memory alive but also to capture her spirit of generosity and charity by supporting the local causes she supported. It was a natural decision that Debbie and I would put our knitting knowledge toward this.”

Each year Debbie and Angie select a different charity to focus their fundraising. Last year’s was Kettering’s Memory Café – a space with activities and advice for people with dementia and their carers – and the dynamic duo’s digits were put through their paces.

Their last round of designs were Christmas-themed covers for the traditional festive food, the Chocolate Orange, (including an Orange) plus woollen table decorations. Debbie and Angie made – and sold – a finger flummoxing 600 items.

Debbie continues: “I wouldn’t say I am the best knitter around – I’d give that accolade to my Mum – but I can follow a pattern, and people always snap up what Angie and I make, so some of Mum’s skills have rubbed off.

“We started the Christmas ‘batch’ in September as we aim for quality and quantity. Each one took up to an hour to create, so it did take over our lives a bit! Knitting so intensively does make your fingers ache after a while, but you only notice it when you first start. Like anything you enjoy doing, you just get on with it.

“When we handed over the cheque, seeing the faces of the people at the Café was amazing. The managers of the Café told us how many activities and trips the money will fund, which made all the hard work worthwhile. And we both know Donna would be over the moon about that.”

From those sales, Debbie and Angie raised £1,600. Added to their other charitable activities in 2022, this meant £2,300 for the Café. Yvonne Robinson from The Rotary Club of Kettering – co-organisers of The Memory Café – adds: “This huge amount will give us the ability to do so much more for our wonderful carers and people living with dementia in the form of excursions and entertainment.

“When we meet with our volunteers to chat and generally help if needed it appears to work wonders for their confidence and brings smiles to their faces. We have never had such a big donation before, so it means such a lot and we’ll never be able to thank Donna’s Angels enough.”

After a brief break for Christmas and New Year, Angie and Debbie are back with their knitting needles preparing for their next challenge – Easter chicks to raise funds for Kettering Food Bank (see pic below).

For more about Donna’s Angels and to buy the knitting products, see their Facebook group.