CONNECTIONS forged across the city by a Solihull woman are helping to ensure the homeless are well kitted out with hats and scarves this winter.
Yasmin Paulson helped set up the great Solihull charity Hampers for Heroes at the height of the pandemic before branching out to launch Be Kind to help the homeless, women’s refuges and the boost foodbanks.
With grants from a number of big hearted Solihull charities and donations from her sister Sophia Mamoojee Tasmin, together with the charity Who is Hussain, has been able to make a real difference for those on the breadline.
Now she has enlisted the help of residents at a retirement complex in Northfield to knit hats and scarves to keep vulnerable people warm as temperatures plummet.
“I was in contact with a lady through social media and she said her mother was in the Rosefields complex in Birmingham and that they’d knitted some baby clothes and whether I could make use of them through the charity,” said Yasmin of Yewhurst Road.
“We said yes, and sent them on to Heartlands Hospital, and then asked if they could knit something for the homeless, and they said yes too, and now they’re our knitting fairies!”
“They are absolutely wonderful and of course it’s not just about the knitting, it’s the joint effort and community,” said Yasmin.
“I’m happy to buy them the wool and we’ve made them a beautiful hamper so they can have some nibbles while they’re knitting.
“Quite right too because they’ve put a tremendous effort in.
“Not only that but we’ve discovered eight lovely ladies from Solihull who have knitted beautiful hats and scarves for the homeless.”
The knitwear was duly distributed on Monday evening when the Be Kind team, stationed outside St Philip’s Cathedral, gave out the hats and scarves, as well as vital foodstuffs, to Birmingham’s homeless.
