Hats off to knitter's effort for Bradford on Avon marchers (From Wiltshire Times)

Hats off to knitter's effort for Bradford on Avon marchers

1:10pm Friday 4th December 2009 in News

An 80-year-old climate change activist has been busy knitting blue hats for Bradford on Avon marchers who will be heading for London tomorrow to take part in a mass demonstration.

Sheila Blethyn, of Winsley Road, is a keen supporter of Bradford Oxfam group and Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon, and has been helped by three members of Bradford Women’s Institute, who are all knitting the hats with wool found via recycling website Freecycle.

The Wave march is planned to precede the Copenhagen climate change summit, with 100,000 protesters expected, all wearing blue to create a human wave flooding through the capital.

Mrs Blethyn said: “I would like to have gone up with them but it would have been a long day for me. But I am with them all the way, cheering them on. These hats are my way of making a contribution.”

Following the march, the hats will be donated to the Operation Christmas Child shoebox appeal.

A postcard signed by members of the Wiltshire Assembly, detailing what the country wants to see out of the summit, will be delivered to Gordon Brown by Gary Mantle, director of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, at the summit. It calls for a 40 per cent reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

The Trust still has seats available on its coach and anyone interested should call 01380 725670.