Llanbradach knitting group help save crook Aussie penguins

Thursday June 19th, 2014

By Gareth Hill

A CARING NATTER: Members of Llanbradach’s Knit and Natter group

Poorly Penguins in Australia have been given a cwtch the way only the Welsh can, thanks to a Llanbradach knitting group. The sick penguins are being kept warm by jumpers knitted by a Knit and Natter group, who meet in Llanbradach Library – and they are saving the birds’ lives. An emergency appeal by the Phillip Island Penguin Foundation, based in Victoria, Australia, called for special penguin pullovers to be knitted for birds affected by oil spills and leaks from fishing boats.

GOOD ON YA MATE: A crook penguin in its Welsh jumper

Knit and Natter member Emma Boone saw the appeal and spoke to the group who went knitting crazy for the little creatures. The knitted jumpers are placed on oiled penguins to keep them warm and prevent them from preening and swallowing toxic oil. They are kept on the penguins until they are strong enough to be cleaned.

Emma Boone said: “I look forward to coming along each week, we love to chat to each other about what we’ve been making and show off our latest creations. “It was great to be able to use our hobby to help the Philip Island Penguin Foundation.” The Knit an Natter group have a collective knitting experience of over 500 years so they soon had enough warm, colourful jumpers to send Down Under.

No more jumpers are needed thanks to groups like the Llanbradach one, but the Phillips Island Penguin Foundation said people can help with their adopt a penguin scheme – more information at www.penguinfoundation.org.au

The Knit and Natter women also knit for causes such as Help the Aged and Velindre Hospital and meet weekly.

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