Community
20 May, 2026
Knitted donations for those in need
NEARLY 400 knitted items of clothing and blankets collected in Cobden will be heading to Melbourne for the homeless and needy in an appeal which began over a decade ago.
Items such as beanies, scarves, mittens, jumpers, blankets and socks, all of which are hand knitted or crocheted, have been packed into the back of Pam Savage’s car to be taken on a road trip to those who need them most.
The project began thanks to an idea from Ms Savage’s late dear friend, Helen Watts, when the pair visited a soup kitchen in Melbourne and thought about other ways they could help.
“Helen thought of the people cold and sleeping outside and thought it would be a good idea to do up a beanie for them,” Ms Savage said.
The first donation was in 2010 – the first batch of donations was 108 beanies, followed by a batch of 85 beanies and 19 scarves, growing to other articles of clothing and winterwear each time they made a donation.
This time, continuing Mrs Watts’ legacy, Ms Savage is taking 399 articles of knitwear and blankets across to Colac to be picked up and transported from there to Melbourne.
“Helen instigated it through St Vincent de Paul in Cobden and she instigated it along with Brother Doug Walsh, who was a Brother in Melbourne and worked with the soup kitchen,” Ms Savage said.
“One of our members used to be in a higher office of St Vincent de Paul and they had a St Vincent de Paul vehicle, and for a couple years they used to take it to headquarters.
“Then they went out of office so Brother Doug always met me in Colac and we would swap from one car to the other and that’s what we do now.
“Brother Doug passed away last year and I promised Helen that I would keep the project for her when she was dying and the gentleman that I’m going to meet next week – Nick Ptropoulos – worked with Brother Doug in Melbourne so he promised Brother Doug that he would keep it going.
“Our two promises are meeting.”
Since St Vincent de Paul in Cobden has gone into recess, Ms Savage said the Cobden Uniting Church Op Shop have been a “wonderful help” to the cause.
“Anything that they get in that they think might be good for this, rather than sell it they keep it for me and give me the beanies and the rugs,” she said.
“It’s going to be a project working with the Uniting Church Op Shop as well.
“I’ve got quite a few ladies that knit and bring me bags of stuff, people donate wool and we always take donations – they can be left at the op shop.
“Just recently we got two big bags of blankets, I’ve got no idea who did them but they just left them at the op shop with Barbara (Cowley, op shop joint manager), so it’s a community thing.”
The items are distributed to the homeless, needy and children involved with Ronald McDonald House in Melbourne.
“It started off just for the homeless, then of course there was a lot of needy mums,” Ms Savage said.
“The kids get a few of the blankets and toys.
“It grew and grew and grew.”
Since 2010, 5726 woollen articles have been donated through the cause thanks to locals in Cobden who keep the project active.
Ms Savage said the last donation was approximately 12 months ago, so the 399 articles being donated this time was the amalgamation of a years’ worth of work.
“There’s a lady in care up at the nursing home now and she was from Timboon – Gwenda Gunn – and she was a wonderful help, she would do bags of stuff for me,” she said.
“Sue Lions and her mother, who has passed away, have been wonderful – they’ve done hundreds and hundreds of items for me.
“I’d also like to thank Jill Lynch, Dot Spaull, Rosalie Edge and Fran Warden for all they’ve done.
“The residents at Cobdenhealth also knit items for me, which is very appreciated.”
Ms Savage said the project was always taking donations of woollen, hand-knitted or crocheted items, which could be left at the Uniting Church Op Shop.
They also would accept donations of eight ply wool to go towards the cause.
“I need one more item to make 400, but I think 399 sounds better,” Ms Savage said.
Ms Savage will be making the trip to Colac this week to continue fulfilling her promise to Mrs Watts and handing off the bounty of woollen articles for donation.
Read More: Cobden