Our vision is of a place where local people of all ages can come together, feel part of our community, learn from each other and celebrate our remarkable heritage.

We want to give the Caerphilly Miners back to the community!

Caerphilly Miners Centre knitting volunteers has expanded its annual Blankets at Christmas project this year. The project, which originally stemmed from the Caerphilly Benefice Mother’s Union’s Christmas Tree Project, was revitalized in 2020 as a way of keeping local people motivated through Covid lockdowns and has continued as a way of keeping people connected.

This year, we have received bags of knitted rectangles from as far afield as Somerset, the Rhondda and Cardiff, as well as many, many more from local volunteers. Thirty eight people of all ages have taken part, from knitters and crocheters in their 20’s and 30’s to those well into their 80’s. More than 60 blankets have been lovingly knitted and crocheted together this year. Each blanket consists of 25 squares and takes about 25 hours to knit and at least another 6 or 7 hours to crochet together. This is around 1800-1900 hours of volunteer time.

Volunteers have welcomed the opportunity to contribute to such a worthwhile project and it has kept them going through more time at home with less opportunities to see others and socialise. They have all enjoyed being part of a local initiative that also helps others.

One of our volunteer knitters, Caroline Kitson, told us how she felt when she came in to deliver her rectangles:

‘I’ve been knitting blanket rectangles since the pandemic started in March 2020. I felt quite emotional delivering nearly 50 to the Centre today, not only because the knitting was going to such worthy causes, but for its representation of the lockdowns and the limitations on our lives in that time’.

Hefin David, MS for Caerphilly will be presenting the blankets this year to Llamau, supporting Women’s Refuges, and to the Warm Hug project, part of the Parent Network within Caerphilly. One blanket has also been given to the first Afghan refugee family to be housed within Caerphilly Borough, as a welcome gift.

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