Otaki TodayThe Ōtaki Skill Sharing Group has found a new home after moving from the now-closed Presbyterian church hall to the Senior Citizens Hall in Rangatira Street.
The group meets every Wednesday from 9am to midday, providing an opportunity for people to meet others, socialise and learn or share craft skills.
Members of the skill sharing group at the Senior Citizens Hall. Photo Ōtaki Today
About 18 people attend each week, with knitting, crochet and card making among the popular activities.
Group leader Penny Denzel says the group is also making a difference in the wider community.
“We deliver blankets regularly to St Vincent de Paul in Levin, specifically for refugees in the area,” she says.
The group also provides knitted slippers to three local schools – St Peter Chanel, Ōtaki School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito. So far, about 200 pairs have been made and distributed.
“We went to the schools and asked what they needed, and one said slippers,” Penny says. “So that’s what we did.”
The group previously made items for overseas communities, but rising shipping costs and complications have led it to focus its efforts locally.
Four of the women involved are aged over 90 and continue to knit regularly. For many members, the group is as much about companionship as it is about craft.
“We put a cup of tea on at about 10 o’clock,” Penny says.
A $2 koha covers costs.
The group is short of wool and welcomes donations of any type. Members also knit squares at home which are brought along and joined together to make blankets.
Penny says the group welcomes people of all ages, including young people who want to learn from those with experience.
The Ōtaki Skill Sharing Group was the supreme winner for Kāpiti in the 2019 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards.
n If you’re interested in joining the group or would like to donate some wool, please contact Penny: 021 247 0722 or email pdenzel@gmail.com
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