Members of the monthly Club, which is hosted at the Craft Centre at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre located at Monkton Heathfield, are now helping ex-battery hens in the area to get cosy by knitting them jumpers.

Miranda McPherson, Craft Centre Supervisor, explained: “At our Knit and Crochet Club, which we host every first Wednesday of each month, we like to help charities and organisations and one of our customers suggested that we could knit jumpers for former battery hens. We thought it was a great idea.

“The hens usually come out of farms quite bald and can be underweight. They will soon fatten up and re-gain their feathers with the right care, but while they are waiting for their feathers to grow back they can benefit from our knitted jumpers.

“We will be donating our knitted hen jumpers to the Little Hen Rescue in Norwich which re-homes former battery hens and were delighted that we would be able to knit them some jackets.

“We will be offering people a knit pattern to follow, which will explain how to make a jumper for a hen. This is also available to download from our website and people are welcome to knit them at home and bring the jackets in for us to pass on to the Little Hen Rescue.”

Everyone is welcome to the Knit and Crochet Club, whether you are a complete novice or a knitting or crochet enthusiast. The Craft Centre team members will be on hand at each session to offer advice and teach people the art of knitting.

It’s a sociable event and it’s also a great way for knitters to meet up and share tips and experiences. Children aged seven and above are welcome to come along too.

Miranda added: “People who come along to evenings will be able to knit jumpers for ex-battery hens for Little Hen Rescue or they can just bring a project they may be knitting at that moment in time.

“The Club is held in the workshop area of the Craft Centre from 4.30pm until 7pm every first Wednesday of each month. Each session costs £3 per person and this will include tea, coffee and biscuits. The Craft Centre will provide knitting patterns for the hen jackets and needles to borrow, however we cannot provide wool, so please bring your own. The Craft Centre will be kept open late especially for the Knit and Crochet Club.”

The specialist Craft Centre was created to serve the needs of the area’s keen and potential bead crafters, card-makers, scrapbookers, cross stitchers, canvas embroiderers and knitters.

The Centre stocks everything from card-making kits to wool and has a programme of free demonstrations. There are also paid workshops, where people can get hands-on craft experience.

To find out more, please visit Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield between Bridgwater and Taunton. Alternatively, please call the garden centre on 01823 412381, visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk or email the Craft Centre on crafts@monkton-elm.co.uk.

Photograph caption: Debbie Angeras, Craft Centre team member, knitting a jacket to keep a former battery hen warm.

For further information about Little Hen Rescue, please contact www.littlehenrescue.co.uk.


To download a copy of the knitting pattern for the hen jumpers, please click here.