A heart to heart, in support of Mary Potter Hospice.

June 17th, 2024

A nibble and a natter is commonplace at Malvina Major Retirement Village, but this tried and test tradition now has a new twist. A natter over a cuppa, also now includes knitting for a very special cause!

Malvina Major’s knit and natter club has been hard at work creating beautifully hand-made woolen knee rugs, to support Mary Potter patients as they journey a final season with the Hospice. Growing in size, this thriving knitting club is enjoying playing a part in the important work Mary Potter carries out in its Newtown Inpatient Unit and in homes across Wellington, Porirua, and Kapiti.

All the ladies in the club have a close connection to Mary Potter and now play an active role in ensuring that a supply of colourful woolen items are available for our patients. “It started with just some of us knitting, others came to natter, now we all do something – some of us knit and others natter”, shares Noelene.

Handing over two beautifully crafted knee rugs recently to the Hospice, this industrious knit and natter club has its sights set on a new challenge. In addition to knee rugs and beanies, they are knitting hard to ensure a supply of woolen hearts are available for patients.

Each heart is offered to patients, as a way of remembering or being remembered by loved ones. Individual woolen hearts are sometimes attributed special significance as a result of their colouring, some are gifted by patients to family members in New Zealand, and occasionally Mary Potter hearts are sent abroad to relatives who aren’t able to journey out to visit a family member in their final days.

Made with love and care, every heart has the potential to play a special role in the final season of each patients. So, we are very grateful to the retirement village’s knit and natter club for all they are doing to support the work of Mary Potter in such an important way. Thank you again, from us all at Mary Potter!

For more information about how you can join in supporting Mary Potter, please email: volunteer@marypotter.org.nz.