Volunteers spread hope and warmth with knitted blankets for KZN flood victims

Presenter Wasanga Mehana chats to Brendan Grealy from the 67 Blankets For Nelson Mandela initiative.

• More than 4,500 blankets woven by volunteers will go to charities and families in KZN just in time for winter

• The 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day project partnered with humanitarian relief group Gift of the Givers to create a "Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope" earlier this week

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More than 4,500 blankets that were knitted with love will be donated to the KwaZulu-Natal flood victims to help keep them warm this winter.

The 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day initiative has joined forces with humanitarian aid group Gift of the Givers to make sure the colourful knitted blankets reach those in need during the cold winter months.

On Wednesday, the blankets were put together in a square shape to create a "Rainbow Nation Blanket of Hope".

The colourful display was revealed at Steyn City School in Midrand and the blankets were handed over to Gift of the Givers to distribute.

Brendan Grealy, who chairs the 67 Blankets initiative says volunteer ‘KnitWits’ from across South Africa took their time to stitch together their beautiful creations.

It's come from someone who has dedicated two weeks... or one week of their life to actually make a beautiful blanket.

Brendan Grealy, Chair - 67 Blankets For Nelson Mandela

Grealy says homemade blankets are more meaningful than store-bought blankets because they were made with love.

There are currently 16,000 people in South Africa who are part of the 67 Blankets For Nelson Mandela project and the organisation's footprint stretches to nine other countries.

People want to belong to something. They need a conduit to be able to do something for people less privileged than themselves.

Brendan Grealy, Chair - 67 Blankets For Nelson Mandela

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