A knitting company has launched a crowdfunding page to raise funds so it can offer crafts for all to help the mental health needs of people across London during and after the pandemic. Clerkenwell-based Knithub 24 has signed up to the Mayor of London’s Pay It Forward scheme in a bid to help anyone struggling with a mental health crisis.
This is part of a £1million Back to Business Fund, granting up to £5,000 in match funding to small and independent businesses.
The knitting company, which opened in December 2019, is hoping to raise £10,000 by 26 April.
“We started in the height of the pandemic and we’re using our business to address the needs of mental health,” said co-founder Asif Dhanani.
“At the moment, we are focusing on three things: the youth, diversity and inclusivity and while we are based in London, we hope to eventually service the whole of the UK with our use of technology.”
Knithub 24 hopes to work with local and central government to help students in universities who are struggling with their mental health. They also want to work in primary and secondary schools to help get children knitting from an early age.
“We want to enthuse knitting for mental health throughout the UK educational system and for it to be used as an alternative form of medicine for mental health within the GP’s office,” Dhanani said.
“We are looking for a lot of different cultural designs and patterns that we can include in our knitting when we design our styles and patterns.
“For example, we are currently incorporating the traditional Kitenge from Tanzania into our design work to promote inclusivity.”
But before branching out, Knithub 24 wants to get people knitting for mental health in London.
They are in contact with other boroughs across the capital to see what they can do to help residents’ mental health.
NHS workers have also approached the knitting company for classes.
Dhanani said: “We are getting people that come off the frontline sending us emails and telling us that they really need to craft just to get some downtime and get some peace and stress relief.
“We want to be able to help in any way we can.”
Farah Govani, who also co-founded Knithub 24, added that the crowdfunder will enable them to donate classes to NHS staff.
Knithub 24’s crowdfunding page can be found here: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/wewoolsurvive
