Knitters warm to presence on Barnard Castle high street

A TEMPORARY move from Barnard Castle market to a shop on the high street has been so successful for a group of knitters and a community interest company that they are extending their lease.
Warm Age Wood, which uses profits from sales of briquettes and knitted products, to provide help for people in fuel poverty moved to the shop, in Market Place, late last year.
The idea was to close down at the end of the winter.
However, Dave Watson of the community interest company now says the shop will continue.
He added: “We were going to stop at the end of February but we are going to diversify in terms of what we are going to knit. It has been good for us in terms of sales, and also in terms of publicising what we do.”
The scheme works by one packet of briquettes being given free to those in need for every ten packs sold. Money raised by the sale of products produced by a group of about 20 Teesdale knitters is also used to provide free briquettes.
Products more suited for the summer are to be produced by the knitters.
In addition, plans are to open the shop twice a week for people to visit to learn new skills, such as crocheting.
Mr Watson said knitters from the group will take over the shop on a Monday and Tuesday when he is out making deliveries. On these days they will learn new skills from each other while also sharing their knowledge with visitors. The scheme is due to begin in April and will be run by Mary O'Connor.
There are currently 20 knitters in the group ranging in age from 60 to 85.
Knitter Barbara Smithson joined the group about a year ago and initially produced dog jumpers. She now produces unique “woolly duds” which slip snugly over traditional cloth baby nappies, along with a range of scarves, socks and other items.
Ms Smithson said: “I knit all day, at least eight hours a day. When I'm indoors I can’t sit around doing nothing. It is all voluntary abut it is a pleasure to do it.”
The 76-year-old explained that all of the group’s wool is supplied by Warm Age Wood so the volunteers have no expenses, apart from their time.
Mr Watson added that the wool is high quality, mostly from merino or blue-face Leicesters.
As many of the knitters are getting on, Mr Watson, is starting a skills-share board in the shop which aims at giving people access to any services, such as a handyman, that they might need.
He said: “We want to have a hub here where an older person, who might need to locate a plumber, can look at the board and find someone who can go in and do the job,  and do it with some empathy, and for not as much money.”
Different types of tradesmen can also swap their services amongst each other too.
Anyone interested on joining the knitters or who might want to learn more about the skills share scheme that begins in April can contact Ms O'Connor on 07455 904738.