The UK’s largest bobble hat has been knitted to mark the 20th anniversary of Innocent Drinks and Age UK’s The Big Knit partnership. Measuring 23ft tall and 20ft wide, the gargantuan creation weighs nearly 129 stone (817 kilos) and was made up of 545 individual knitted squares and two million yards of wool.
The Innocent Big Knit is an initiative which sees little knitted hats put on smoothie bottles, with every behatted bottle sold raising 25p to help Age UK provide services and support to older people. The partnership has raised over £3 million for Age UK after collaboratively knitting nearly 11 million hats.
The woollen masterpiece comes after research shows that even before the cost of living crisis, 15 per cent of older people in the UK were living in poverty, equating to 1.7 million people.
Knitters of all ages and backgrounds came together across the country to produce the stunning piece of work that went on show in Nottingham. Hannorah Lee, director of partnerships and philanthropy at Age UK, said: “What better way to celebrate the mammoth effort of our knitters, and the impact they’ve had, than by bringing lots of people together for a new knitting challenge!
“We’re extremely thankful to everyone who gets involved with the innocent Big Knit campaign. This year marks 20 years of our partnership with Innocent and, therefore, 20 years of tiny hats making a big difference to older people most in need.
“Older people are facing an incredibly difficult reality and, as we face a cost-of-living crisis, Age UK is receiving more and more calls from older people worried about how they will survive the winter months. Our support is needed more than ever.
“All the money raised through the Big Knit helps Age UK and our network of local Age UKs continue to provide information, support, friendship, and advice to older people when they need us most.”
One of the knitters involved in the mammoth project was Nicola Gray, 38, a yarn dyer from Leicestershire, who said: “All of these people coming together shows that knitting isn’t ‘done’. This event is bringing knitting to the forefront, which I love, and everyone thinks knitting is for old ladies – it’s not!
“There’s uni students here, me, a young lad being taught over there by a friend… this is breaking misconceptions!”
Big Knit superfan, Janet Murgett, 64, from Acton in West London added: “I’ve been knitting for The Big Knit for 20 years, so it’s really momentous to celebrate this anniversary with Innocent, it feels like it’s my anniversary too! Knitting brings me so much joy; I’m even part of a knitting group, The Purls, and we get together each week to knit and natter!”
After the unveiling, the gigantic hat will be divided into smaller blankets and donated to charities, including animal shelters and local children’s hospitals in the Nottingham area and beyond.
Sam Akinluyi, UK managing director at Innocent Drinks, said: “Our Big Knit campaign is something we are extremely proud of, as it reaches and benefits so many every single year up and down the country. To mark 20 years since it began, is a real testament to the good intentions of everyone who has taken part over the years – we thank you all so much.”
Head to www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/big-knit to find out more about The Big Knit and Age UK’s 20th Anniversary and the phenomenal work they have done over the past 20 years.
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