Celebrating five years of Antrim and Newtownabbey's Winter Woolies campaign
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council haslaunched Winter Woollies at 5, a celebratory programme of activities marking five years of the Winter Woollies campaign.
Residents of Antrim and Newtownabbey are once again, being invited to get into stitches for a good cause and knit or crochet cosy items for those who are most in need.
The initiative aims to spread warmth and kindness to the vulnerable within the community, from newborns to older people.
The campaign aims to build on the success of previous years. In 2025, residents donated over 3,000 handmade items. These went on to be delivered to partner organisations supporting babies, young children, families experiencing homelessness and individuals with different needs as well as older people from a range of backgrounds.
Commenting on the success of the campaign, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Henry Cushinan said, “This is a great opportunity for the residents of the Borough to come together to help others less fortunate keep warm at winter. We have been blown away by the support in the past and this year looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”
This year you can get involved in Winter Woollies in a variety of ways:
Donate handmade warm items: Donations for Winter Woollies will be welcomed from September 14 to November 13. Handmade warm items such as hats, scarves, gloves and blanket can be left in designated donation bins located at Mossley Mill and Antrim Civic Centre.
Join a local group: Join one of the many local Knit and Natter groups across Antrim and Newtownabbey. These groups are a wonderful way to learn a new skill, meet new people, and contribute to the community. Visit www.librariesni.org.uk to find your closest group.
Start your own knitting / crocheting group: Whether at home, in your local community centre, or at your place of work, starting a knitting or crocheting group is a great way to enhance community spirit, improve employee wellbeing, and add social value to your organisation’s output.
Donate a special blanket to the Big Blanket Appeal: To celebrate five years of Winter Woollies, we’re launching the Big Blanket Appeal and aiming to fill Theatre at The Mill with 420 special handmade blankets. We’re asking individuals and groups to create a 30”x 30” blanket featuring colours, patterns or designs that represent you or your group.
The completed blankets will be displayed at Theatre at The Mill in November, when members of the public will be invited to come along and see the spectacular display.
Following the event, the blankets will be donated to care homes across the borough, helping to bring warmth and comfort to residents. With this in mind, please consider your choice of colours, patterns and designs when creating your blanket.
If your organisation could benefit from Winter Woollies donations to distribute to your service users, or if you would like to contribute to the initiative, visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/winter-woollies