Thank you for visiting us
Thank you for visiting us
Our mission
Oakley Stitchers is a registered not-for-profit charitable organisation. We enable volunteers to use their skills and hobbies to help others in need of our support.
We raise money to provide materials, postage, sundries, administration costs and other sundries.
By running table top stalls, securing local grant applications, commissioned projects, raising funds via our craft groups and by receiving donations from the general public, using our fundraising pages we create a win-win all round!
In turn, we provide a network of community, remote stitchers and non-stitchers who support each other and are able to enjoy their loved hobby for free, while feeling useful and having an outlet for their creations, that they know help support others having a tough time.
Most items requested are then provided FREE to individuals, hospitals and organisations, which enables items to be accessable, regardless of individual circumstances.
If you would like more information, please contact us on info@oakleystitchers.org.uk or use the button below.
Our Stitchers
We have over 200 stitchers, who are not all active at the same time. We have always been determined to ensure our Stitcher volunteers remain enjoying their hobby and therefore are under no pressure.
Happy Stitchers = Happy recipients
Life pressures are enough, and our Stitchers strict policy remains that what we do must be good for every volunteers stress and mental health and never have a negative impact. Afterall, we can only do, what we can do.... touch wood, this has been a successful model... so far!
How and who we've helped?
...and a huge thank you to everyone below, for the support we've had!
We have helped out with lots or projects in our local area and also outside of Hampshire.
Head Quarters
This group couldn't have gone anywhere without the amazing Caroline who utilised her outside space for the group to drop off/collect everything needed to get the jobs done in a covid safe way and follow lockdown rules.
This kept us all safe, protected the shielders and yet still enabled Stitchers to find everything they needed to provide the service.
We bought in bulk by raising money with the help of our amazing community and beyond. This provided the sundries we needed and provided a central place for people to collect materials without contact and bring donations of material for us to turn into items needed by front line staff.
Our team
Every single person within the group has had a role in creating, organising, donating, receiving working behind the scenes.
Every one of our members is a true asset to our group and its been a total pleasure and honour to work alongside them all.
The whole team support each other to achieve our best.
Each member has benefited from been a part of a valued friendship group who have got each other through some difficult moments.
It has been inspiring to be part of a group that actively answer each others queries, provide guidance, bring amazing ideas to the table and even teach each other new skills.
We now have remote stitchers and external Stitcher groups that help create some of the many items we now provide.
Without each one of these amazing people, the things we achieve just wouldn't happen!!
Hospitals and Doctors surgeries
We supported our local Doctors surgery with masks, scrubs. They continue to support us by holding a box of masks and distancing lanyards for patients to donate to us.
We also sent many sets of scrubs further afield including to a doctor at the Royal Derby Hospital and to staff at Mile End hospital in London.
Southampton Children's ward received many sets of child friendly scrubs and some teddy masks, as they were finding that children coming for appointments were anxious talking to masked staff, and having one for a teddy reduced this anxiety.
Local children wrote Thank You notes
Our local children have been working hard to produce thank you notes that went in our scrubs to say 'Thank You' to our frontline workers, so every set of scrubs went out with an inspirational message for the person from a child in our local area.
We had so many comments about these and some of the units were pinning them onto their noticeboards or even just on windows to remind them, we were thinking of them and could not thank the children enough for their thoughtful and kind words.
Helping local business.
We provided mask boxes for our local residents at The Wool Shop in Kempshott, Oakley and Overton Surgery, The Fox pub in Newfound and V&B Butchers in Oakley with the aim of helping increase footfall to local businesses, giving access to well-made masks in the community and providing much needed funding to Oakley Stitchers.
Basingstoke Choral Society approached us to make specific singing masks for their members, to ensure that their rehearsals could restart. Again this was mutually beneficial.
A huge thanks to these businesses and organisations.... by supporting and collecting money for our masks, we have been able to raise funds to continue our amazing work!
Bringing a smile in a tough time!
We supplied Scrubs, hats and Masks and many other items, to well over 300 individuals, organisations from Eyre in Scotland, Central London, Norfolk, Kent, Devon and Wales.... and so many more!
Our London Prison service medical teams.
We have provided 100s of scrubs, hats and masks to the medical teams within our central London Prisons. We found it very distressing that the medical staff working with the inmates were feeling that no-one would want to help them ..... well of course we did!
Courier
Occasionally we used the Volunteer Bikers who set up to provide the transport of scrubs, healthcare equipment and PPE around the country during lockdown.
Knitted Knockers
We affiliated with knitted knockers USA who were founded by the amazing Barb. She knew there was a softer more kind way to help ladies post mastectomy, pre reconstruction to feel confident and comfortable again. We have provided knockers to 100's of ladies throuought the UK on various stages of their journey.
Maternity and neonatal units
Stitchers supporting poorly babies was something very close to many of our Stitcher's hearts therefore providing a range of knitted and stitched items to help was high on the list of areas to support.
Animal rescue centres
Many of the stitchers are animal lovers and have wanted to support some of our local rescue centres/ rehoming shelters
We have provided items to support a variety of animals from sleeping bags for hedgehogs, coats and jumpers for dogs, knitted nests... to blankets and beds for cats and dogs.
Supporting cancer patients on their journey
By providing a range of items to cancer wards around the UK. We provide items for teams to support patients and let survivors know there are people out there thinking of them while on an emotional and challenging journey.
Supporting people living with Dementia.
Understanding the difficulties faced by not only the person but their family and others around them is often challenging.
During Covid we worked alongside Frimley Park dementia unity to embark on a trial of items that may sooth or divert those living with Dementia at a time of fast implemented, unavoidable but distressing changes in their lives and routines.
We hope that at some point this trial will be implemented nationally.
We now have a range of lanyards which can help others identify and tailor their responses accordingly to the needs of the person.
have a look at our 'Hidden disability' tab for more information.
The Pink and Blue Place in Basingstoke
A huge thank you to the amazing staff who provide such support and help to men and women in the local area dealing with cancer. Stitchers have been very proud to help support them with their online support and activity group.
The Pink Place (and Blue Space for Men) offer FREE wellbeing services, support, complementary therapies, hair & wig services, counselling and mindfulness to men and women affected by cancer, from initial diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond…
For more info, email: info@thepinkplace.org.uk or Tel/ WhatsApp 07899 970841
What a great organisation and fab group of people!!
Supporting our Local Ukraine guests
Oakley Stitchers have been horrified and shocked by the awful actions of Putin.
We have had many amazing, local families providing accommodation and support to Ukrainian people who have needed to flee their country due to this invasion arriving in our local villages with so very little.
Oakley stitchers have provided a knitted bear in their home colours to all arriving with our local families, hoping to provide comfort at this difficult time.
Little Bear
I’m here for you, little bear
C Worley 2022
I know you feel a long way from home
But with me close, you’re never alone.
I hear your worries and your prayers
I’m protecting and holding them tightly for you, until its time.
Don’t be scared, stay strong, keep me near
until the day comes again, when life holds no fear.
You are the future, you will help it mend,
This is never the end.
Although loved ones feel so far away
Until its safe, you need to stay
If you listen carefully, you’ll be able to hear
their voices as you remember them,
laughing and forever loving you dear.
Slava Ukraini
Hidden disabilities
During lockdown we provided lanyards to support those who were either medically exempt from wearing face coverings or had difficulties with communication with masks in place.
This got us thinking about how we could support others with either social, verbal or hidden disabilities. We explored providing lanyards/cards to explain the difficulties an individual may have or challenging behaviors that could be displayed, or ways in which they can be supported in a challenging situation.
Basingstoke & Dean Council
A massive thank you from our local council who didn't let our services go unnoticed!
Supporting our essential services
We have moved on from providing masks and scrubs to support to our front line services, to showing our ongoing appreciation with small thank you gifts at Christmas and Easter.
Recognition from our local Mayor!
Wow!!! We weren't expecting that!!!
Thank you everyone who put a word in for us. This was very special!
Thank you Diane
4-Max Models Ltd
A huge shout out and thank you to 4-Max Models Ltd have been amazingly generous, subsidising the postage costs and allowing us to use their courier company to send packages around the country.
Resurrection Furniture, Alton
Jacqui from Alton Stitchers was amazed to be awarded an amazing grant of £1000 from the team at Resurrection furniture.
What a truly generous gift for our Stitchers, especially our new group in Alton.
Thank you all so much for your generosity.
Oakley and Deane Parish Council
We received a generous donation from our local Parish Council of £166.34 which was raised at the 'carols around the pond' event 2022.
Thanks to the committee and the lovely Oakley residents for thinking about us, what we achieve and being so generous.
It takes a diverse team of people to achieve what we have achieved to date. Every donation made by someone, who is an honorary part of this team. No matter how large or small the amount, every penny makes a difference.
So, thank you all!
A visit from Basingstoke Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress
What a pleasure to meet our Basingstoke Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress who came to visit us at our Stitchers open event in March 23.
Thank you both so much for taking the time out to find out about our Stitchers and what they achieve... and spend so much time chatting to them all.
It was a real honour to meet you.
Emma jane Hodgson -
Graphic designer
A huge thank you to Emma for drawing, graphic designing and creating our gorgeous Stitcher logo, making us so recognisable.
Emma is an amazingly talented illustrator, normally specialising in Kawaii animal drawings, fashion including footwear, bags, stationary and custom art. This brave lady took on a mission for us and WOW....just WOW!! our fab Stitcher logo arrived.
To see more... visit:
https://www.facebook.com/LuckyRainbowBoutique
Four lanes trust, Basingstoke
We have been awarded 2 grants in the last 3 years from the Four Lanes Trust totalling £900. We cannot thank the trustees enough for putting their faith in what we were achieving.
The Four Lanes Trust was founded in 1974 by Christopher Makins, the second Baron Sherfield “ to support groups that bring improvement and richness to our life in the fields of education, the arts and social and community action.”
Since its first meeting in July 1974 where £250 was awarded to the Horseshoe Theatre Company, the Trust has given almost £1.5 million (£1,414,399 as of April 2022) in support to a wide variety of local causes. The Trust has continued to meet three times a year since that date, awarding an average of £10,000 per meeting.
The Four Lanes Trust awards grants to local groups with ideas which will improve the lives of people within Basingstoke and the surrounding district. Our interests lie in three areas:
THE ARTS
EDUCATION
THE COMMUNITY
We support small capital grants rather than general running costs with the majority of grants awarded being between £500 and £1,500. However, occasionally a higher sum may be awarded. The Trustees consider that the important thing is to provide the right amount of money for the project and evaluate the value provided to the community.
https://fourlanestrust.org.uk
Councillor Diane Taylor
Oakley and the Candovers
What a treat to meet our local councillor again.
Diane has been a supporter of Stitchers for a while now (check the letter above)
She has also supported a community grant for us this year... so fingers crossed.
Thank you so much for all you do for us Diane.
Emma Constantine-
recycler extraordinaire!
Emma has provided the Stitchers with a way to recycle their cut offs and make amazing twine and some fantastic, recycled items from it.
She has been using so many of our scraps making a full circle for our donated fabrics and saving landfill in the process... thank you so much Emma xx
Huge thank you to Cutting Edge fabrics, Brighton Hill and Pack Lane Wool Shop, Kempshot for their ongoing support.
A massive thank you to both of these local businesses.
We have enjoyed an amazing symbiotic relationship over COVID which we hope has brought mutual support over this difficult time.
Both are on line so please support them too.
www.cuttingedgefabrics.co.uk
www.packlanewool.co.uk
Alex and Alex
@craft kit'n'bits
A huge thank you to both Alex's for their ongoing support over the last year. From offering Stitchers a discount to supporting us with their fabulous yarnstraviganza, which brought in wool donations for us to utilise.
Please visit them at:
Call on 020 3488 5499
who have we been helping so far...
We helped to provide Knitted and Sewn items free of charge to requests of help.
To date we have supported:
- Hospices
- Hospitals
- Care homes
- Doctors surgeries
- Dentists
- individual NHS and non NHS front line workers
- Ambulance services
- Police
- Fire service
- London Prison service
- Mental health services
- Surgical teams
- Childrens wards
- Cancer Survivors
- Neo Natal Units
.............to name a few!
Stitchers have their ears to the ground and therefore often come across our next projects often by chance. If you know of something or someone we may be able to support, please contact us at oakleystitchers@yahoo.com or via the Contact Us page and we will see what we can do.
Help us make a change @ SumUp
Oakley Stitchers is a Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee (14711617)
© Oakley Stitchers 2024
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