It’s our Chernobyl Project 2020!

[KnottyAndPistey]

It was beyond wonderful for us to visit Belarus in April 2019, meet again some of the children who had come to the UK (Bristol) in 2018 and see our Chernobyl blankets in their homes, just a few of these below. We could see how treasured and loved they were and it renewed our energy and passion for this project. And so we are delighted to say….

Welcome to our Chernobyl Project 2020!

A reminder of why we do what we do is at the bottom. We are launching early as 2020 is going to be even bigger than ever as we hope to reach even more children. Also our first group (Portsmouth arrive at the end of February this year!)

We are in the process of writing to all groups we have previously supported to get an idea of numbers and now have other groups contacting us asking to be on board, and obviously we’d all like to help as many as possible! Now then, this is early days to predict, but we are thinking it is going to be between 175 and 200! Can we do this?! As soon as we know which groups we will be supporting again we will let you know! Hopefully when we come back after Christmas.

Not all groups host every year, but these are the groups we have helped so far, and aim to continue to do so.

Aberdeen
Ayrshire
Bristol
Chet and Waveney (Norfolk)
Dublin
Fife
Gloucester/Glossop (children split their trip between these two)
Isle of Wight
Mid Glamorgan
Mid Suffolk
Northamptonshire (Helpston)
Portsmouth
Shropshire
St Ives
Swindon
Yeovil and Sherborne

Here’s how you can help for 2020….

Squares. We need SQUILLIONS of twelve inch squares in the Stylecraft Special DK palette as in photo and listed at the bottom of the page, if 12 is too much, 6 inch squares are fine too, just this yarn in these colours please, inc for embellishments so the blankets come together and are consistent for wash and wear. Knit and crochet equally welcome, beginner or expert, as simple or complex as you like, single colour, multi colour. Design of square up to you, but not too lacy, they need to be hardy. Please use a 4mm hook or needles. If sizing is a challenge with your pattern/tension, we prefer them just under sized rather than over!

SO IMPORTANT! Please ensure you knot off every end/colour change very very securely, leave approx a 6 inch tail end and use a needle to sew in. These blankets have to be super sturdy as there is no way back to fix them if squares collapse. All ends must be sewn in.

SQUARES TO BE POSTED TO SOUTHSEA PLEASE

Whole blankets We know some crafters love to make their own whole blankets and this is wonderful! We ask you message us to let us know, so we have some idea of numbers of squares needed. Please use SSDK. Finished blanket size remains the same at 48inches by 60 inches, and please work within the colour palette as this makes it much easier when blankets are gifted. If circumstances change and you can no longer make a whole blanket, LET US KNOW! Thank you so so much x

WHOLE BLANKETS TO BE POSTED TO TEDDINGTON PLEASE.

Last posting to be April 12th, but earlier will be enormously helpful, thank you.

The 2020 Palette

Aspen
Aster
Bluebell
Boysenberry
Bright pink
Candy floss
Citron
Claret
Cloud blue
Cornish Blue
Cypress
Denim
Duck egg
Emperor
Empire
Fondant
Fuchsia pink
Grape
Grass green
Kelly green
Lapis
Lavender
Lime
Lipstick
Lobelia
Magenta
Meadow
Mustard
Pale Rose
Parchment
Petrol
Pistachio
Plum
Pomegranate
Raspberry
Saffron
Sage
Sherbert
Shrimp
Spearmint
Spice
Storm blue
Teal
Tomato
Turquoise
Violet

Extras for the children.

There are a few extras which we will be collecting too alongside squares, items which really help, if you would like to add in any of these we would love to receive them for the children, thank you, bless you. We have spoken with all groups receiving this year about what they would like and have an adapted list of extras, please note, no shampoo, shower gel this year. We will be adding some of these things to our Amazon wish-list if that helps.

New underwear, pants/socks boys and girls, age 8-12
Children’s Gloves
High factor suncream
Toothbrushes, single packed please
Toothpaste
Hairbrushes
Bars of soap, wrapped as singles.
Sanitary towels
Plasters
Insect bite pens
Cold sore cream
Lip balms
Small tubes or tubs of Sudacrem
Children’s vitamins
Vegetable seeds (tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, beetroot, gherkins)
Menthol type cough lozenges
Big and strong long life shopping bags
Tea and instant coffee, packets please
Any little luxuries that 8-12 year olds might love, eg nail varnish, fun stationery, temporary tattoos, little toys with LEDs, mini torches, , hair clips, make up bits, mini lego kits, fun/brightly coloured sunglasses, stickers etc.

Hugs for Heads 2020

After the success last year, we thought how lovely it would be to send all children a cosy hat to take home with their blanket this year, so introduced Hugs for Heads, if you would like to knit or crochet a cosy child’s hat size age 12 to adult in machine washable yarn, we would love to receive it for them. The pattern is up to you., we do have yarn available, please message us. Posting any time from January 2020!

For anyone who needs, just a quick reminder about the project!

For the last few years we have been making warm, comforting Little Hugs for Belarusian and Ukrainian teenagers and children visiting the UK for recuperative holidays during the summer with the fabulous charity the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, Chernobyl Children’s Project and the Friends of Chernobyl’s Children. Each year these marvellous charities bring children who live in the most contaminated area near the Chernobyl reactor over to the UK. In summer, when the dust causes radiation levels to rise, it becomes even more important for as many children as possible to leave their homeland for a few weeks of fresh air and clean food. The rates of childhood cancer are incredibly high and often visiting children are in remission. Sadly though there is a high chance of these children falling ill again. They all suffer living in such difficult conditions and with very little. It is a lovely thing for us to do to make these children a special cuddly blanket to take home. One child last year said to his interpreter it was like having a big hug from his Gran. Beautiful.

Thank you so much everyone!

Thanks for that. I'll do a few more individual squares then send what I have. The end of May is far enough away that the situation may well have changed for the better. Fingers crossed.

I had visions of your kids sleeping for the next year on a towering pile of blankets, a bit like in "The Princess and the Pea".

I was coming to ask the same question.
Fingers crossed that this is resolved sooner rather than later and that the children can still have their holidays.

My kids would love that too much P!

Think no none knows. So we want to continue. So we are ready. Hope everyone agrees xxx

I'm happy to continue and I think it's a good idea. It sounds as if you aren't going to be inconvenienced by storage issues and as far as you know the visits are still proceeding so I think we need to carry on. From a personal perspective it is giving me something positive to do and keeping me occupied.

I am totally happy to toddle on , what will be and all that . The blankets will store ( good to hear you now have storage , you must have been up to your eyeballs in yarn and post bags! ) and come in when ready.
DD2 and I are nearly 2/3 rds along blanket #2 :)

I'm happy to continue too, I've just got a few squares to join and then the border to do (didn't actually think I'd manage a full blanket this year) and then I'll try to get some more squares done before sending (I'm off to the wool shop this afternoon to do some panic buying).

Like TheWoollybacksWife, I'm finding that crochet is a welcome distraction at the moment.

I hope you all and your loved ones are keeping well xx

I was thinking the same thing - i work for a tour operator, and the number of countries who have imposed restrictions since yesterday is ridiculous. I fear it's a matter of days before there's no more cross-Europe travel

I will carry on crocheting, like others, this helps my anxiety so is much needed right now. You may use them for whatever is necessary when the time comes x

Toddling on here too, just completed another square with a squillion peskies to help keep me occupied

DropZone on top of the worry about the virus, work must be incredibly stressful for you at the moment
My son and his girlfriend were due to go to Rome in June but he had an email to say that has been cancelled and our US holiday in May doesn't look like it'll happen (and in all honesty I'd find a cancellation a relief). Our oldest son was supposed to be taking his first school trip as a teacher last week, a day trip to Germany to visit Belsen as part of the Belsen 75 Project, and that was understandably cancelled the day before they were due to go.

Bearfrills That is brilliant!! I visited my local wool shop yesterday and left with a carrier bag full of Stylecraft so I'm prepared!!

I'm working my way through some of these, I've just finished the Easter Day one (number 39) and sitting here choosing another one to start when I get home from DD's dance exam.

lookatwhatimade.net/crafts/yarn/crochet/block-a-week-cal-2014/block-week-cal-2014/

I'm going to visit the local wool shop some time this week just in case they do close the schools early for Easter or we have to self-isolate. I've started teaching DD1 to crochet so maybe there'll be some squares from her next year.

Love that Bear.

Madison yes it's very stressful. Luckily we're profitable, and part of a large group, but chances are there will be job losses. I've been in this industry for 25 years, through 9/11 and the financial crash, and I've never known anything this bad. Who is your US trip booked with?

What is the total looking like K&P? Will you have enough whole blankets and kits to meet your target?

I've got another blanket underway currently. I'm reasonably confident that it's more than halfway through so I'm certain it will be done by the April deadline and fairly optimistic it could be ready by the end of this month.

I did another WW order yesterday and I have enough for another blanket arriving later this week. I could have that ready for a later group or be the first blanket for C2021 if you are below target.

All this is assuming that everything continues as planned 🙏🤞

DropZone I was keeping an eye on things for my son on Friday and Saturday, trying to get an answer if his holiday in June was actually cancelled or if a mass email had been sent in error and it was unbelievable how quickly things were progressing. It must be an absolute nightmare for the travel industry.

We're booked with Virgin Holidays, to LA. There was advice on the website the other day that if you were travelling before a certain date you could rebook and we fell within that period but it was understandably advising against calling unless you were due to travel within the next few days, now that advice has changed again since the developments over the weekend so we just need to sit tight for now.

Right, anyway...I've got two more rows of squares to join on my blanket and then I can get on with the border.

Bear - a good one! :)
Lovely to see you Madison - who knows what is going to happen to holidays eh?
My DD and her family have a cruise booked for August , and are due to pay the balance in about 4 weeks time . I strongly suspect they will be cancelling .
I am carrying on with squares for a blanket #2 - I have done most of them as DD is run off her feet ( teacher ) . Lots and lots of extra work for her atm on top of GSCE 's with all the planning/contingency work needing to be done .
I am stuck at home with a cough ( but just an ordinary cough/cold thing) but trying not to go out and worry others , so can get on with crochet and crafting .
I may even start making stuff for the next craft sale if need be

We haven't got any upcoming holidays. We're going to Butlins in June and I'm going to Poland in September but I'm hoping it'll have all settled down by then. One of my brothers works in aviation and they've been told to expect redundancies.

Morning lovelies in here, how are we doing?

I wonder, could you have a look at this post and see what you think?

Would be grateful!

In terms of the Chernobyl project nothing has changed since our last post, we just want to be ready, but may also have to look at getting blankets to children in other ways. But we can do this.

Oh so disappointing for this years children.
And the Christmas stockings :( I suppose they can’t be sent.
A chatty fb page will be great as I am almost always home.

Will you still be able to send the Billies blankets to Minsk?
If it’s any help, I am happy for my blanket to go there instead. I was thinking of Billie when I put a pink butterfly on it.

I've just read your post through the Twitter link. How sad that this is happening but I don't doubt your abilities to get stuff to the children by hook or by crook.

I'm carrying on - as I said upthread it's a positive thing to do in these uncertain times.

Just read from your link K&P -
So sad , but understandable that this is the outcome - and
really sensible about the craft sale - you have so much going on.
The chatty fb page sounds great - will definitely join in that ( I am a long way from 70 but still .. ) and the offer of help too ( on a side note our local community page has been amazing - I have volunteered to be a phone buddy ( poor souls don't know what they have let themselves in for there ) along with dropping off shopping and prescriptions), so will gladly do what I can for WH'ers as well .
Onward and upward! x