She might be 92-years-old but Moira Power won’t be putting down the knitting needles anytime soon.
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The Sussex Inlet resident began knitting Trauma Teddies four years ago.
She quickly developed a passion for it and has now knitted almost 1800 of the well-known bears.
Trauma Teddies are a Red Cross initiative and are much-loved by children and adults across the country who might be experiencing a traumatic situation, whether it be getting a needle at the doctors or going to hospital for surgery.
They are knitted, stuffed, sewn together and labelled by Red Cross members and volunteers all over Australia.
Moira’s picked up her talent for knitting from her mother, and after soon discovering she was “no good at crochet”, she turned knitting into a lifelong hobby.
After her daily lunch outing with her 102-year-old husband Fred, Moira settles in every afternoon to start and finish a Trauma Teddy.
“He (Fred) helps choose the colours and helps check every teddy before they’re picked up.
- Moira Power
It’s a joint effort, with Fred stepping for quality control.
“He helps choose the colours and helps check every teddy before they’re picked up,” Moira said.
Moira said creating Trauma Teddies brings her much joy.
“It’s a feel-good thing, it’s soothing and I can do it while I’m at a meeting or watching TV,” she said.
“I get annoyed if I don’t do it.”
With the teddies so easily recognisable, Moira said she loves hearing stories of how they’ve brought happiness to people’s lives.
“I was in Ulladulla on day getting my car fixed and while I was waiting I was knitting a teddy and a lady came up to me and asked if I was making a Trauma Teddy. She told me her daughter had three and still had them as an adult,” Moira said.
President of the Sussex Inlet Branch Australian Red Cross, Denise Scott, delivers a bag of wool to Moira every month and picks up her latest offerings to be distributed across the region.
Forty teddies make their way to Shoalhaven Hospital every month, with 20 going the Children’s Ward and 20 going to the Emergency Department.
Other teddies light up lives at Nowra Private Hospital, local doctors clinics, dentists and pathologists.
They’ve also travelled as far as Coolah, Sutherland Hospital, Wollongong Hospital and Princes of Wales Hospital.
Moira also recently knitted 38 red, black and yellow Trauma Teddies to go to children at Sydney’s annual Indigenous Yabun Festival in January.
"We’re very grateful to Moira and all our Trauma Teddy knitters.
- Denise Scott
Denise said Moira’s contribution is very much valued.
“One day she had RSI and I told her to have a break but even then she wouldn’t stop. We’re very grateful to Moira and all our Trauma Teddy knitters,” she said.
“They bring so much joy to so many children.”
When Denise joined Sussex Inlet Branch Australian Red Cross in 2012, 156 Trauma Teddies were created that year.
In the last financial year, the club delivered 940 Trauma Teddies across the region.
Denise currently has 400 Trauma Teddies at home that she’s sewn labels and faces on, just waiting to settle into their new homes.
Anyone wanting to start knitting Trauma Teddies is encouraged to contact Denise on 0410 536 328 or email scotti48@bigpond.com
Denise can provide patterns for the Trauma Teddies, or find them here.