If you want to get ahead - get a hat!

Kind-hearted charity fundraiser Robert Lynch really lives up to the old adage: if you want to get ahead - get a hat. 

Because the generous-spirited 69-year-old from Oldham has KNITTED his way into the hearts of the community with a wide selection of personally-crafted colourful woollen hats.

Robert took up the story… ‘‘My wife Gillian sews holiday shirts for me, and early last year I asked if she would knit me a hat.

"She said, “Knit you own…” so I did.

"And to be honest, it’s very relaxing, particularly when you are watching TV.

“It turns out loom knitting hats, following videos, is easy.

"I used part-balls of wool from the AgeUK crafting club, charity shops, and donations from friends and soon found I literally had loads of hats.”

And he decided to turn his hobby into a charity mission when he discovered The Mission to Seafarers need hats.

“To date I have sent them 61 hats and the mission provide Freepost details, so sending hats is free,” Robert said.

‘People have also asked if they can buy my hats.

"I prefer to send the hats directly to the mission but have sold a few hats and then sent the money via their donation page.

“Since the pandemic and when things began to return to something like normal, people have been very generous in donating wool to me to loom knit hats for The Mission to Seafarers.”

Robert presented a fascinating talk on his hobby to the Saddleworth Carers Group, headed up by Doctor Eamonn O’Daly, and he thanked them for their donation to the mission.

He added: "You will probably know something about loom knitting; you might have used a cotton reel with four nails for corking or French knitting or had a posh dolly with four pins.

"I just use a loom on 42 or 44 pegs to make a hat."

For more information on the charity, go to: http://www.missiontoseafarers.org

+ The Saddleworth Carers Group support carers of dementia clients whose partners or relatives have dementia.

They advise on entitlements and meet twice monthly for a social event.

Contact Doctor Eamonn O’Daly for more information on 01457 810614.

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