Britain's 'Knitting Nannas' Helping Animals in Need

In Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England, a knitting circle at a care home have been saving animals in need for years through their favourite pastime.

Hercules in his blanket | Hillcare

The Knitting Nannas are all in their seventies, eighties, and nineties, and first started on their animal welfare enterprise on late 2024, when they banded together to make blankets for Hercules, a three-week-old rhino from South Africa that was recovering from a hyena attack over 5,000 miles away.

“I feel extremely proud that I have been part of this project,” Joyce Wooffindin, one of the gang, told Hillcare. “And to see Hercules wearing one of our blankets brought a tear to my eye.”

This time last year they trained their sights on animals in need even further away by making miniature sweaters for the Penguin Foundation, a penguin charity in Australia. The sweaters went to Phillip Island, which is home to more than 40,000 penguins. “I have knitted jumpers for both my children,” Joyce Baxtrem, 94, laughed, “but have never knit for a penguin.”

In December 2025, they made woollen toys and blankets for monkeys at the International Primate Rescue in South Africa just in time for Christmas. “One of our residents, Judith, said she had heard monkeys like to play with toys just like children,” said Sharon Lewis, the activities coordinator at the care home. “Apparently, they are called enrichment toys. So we thought it would make a great next project for the Knitting Nannas.”

An elephant plushie | Hillcare

This year, when the Knitting Nannas learned about a charity's mission to rescue elephants, they leapt at the opportunity to help. They began knitting countless handmade woollen elephant plushies, with all proceeds going to Wildlife SOS. “The knitted elephants have been flying out,” Lewis said. “They sell straight away, and the residents are already busy making more.”

“The Knitting Nannas love knowing that something they have made with their own hands is helping animals on the other side of the world,” Lewis said. “It gives them a huge sense of achievement and has sparked lots of conversations with families and visitors about wildlife and conservation.”