The Fish and Chip Jumper Project

Many babies born in East Africa leave hospital wrapped in newspaper. A cardigan was designed that is easy to knit and has plenty of stretch so it may be used for many months. The cardigan was aptly named the “Fish ‘n’ Chip Jumper” as traditionally in England, fish and chips were wrapped in newspaper when sold.

In conjunction with The Phoenix Resource Centre, groups around the UK donate and knit clothes and blankets. This has enabled The Phoenix Resource Centre to help tens of thousands of babies and children around the world and especially in East Africa. Over the last few years, they have been focusing their international efforts in East Africa, especially Djibouti, Kenya and Somaliland, as part of a 10-year, large scale aid programme.

The Relief Society from Weston-super-Mare Ward in the Southwest of England have risen to the challenge and have knitted and crocheted many Fish ‘n’ Chip Jumpers, along with some blankets, mittens and beanies. The parcel sent in April 2024 marks the two hundredth item sent to the charity.

All the sisters have loved this project, with many contributing knitted items and others contributing funds to post the parcels. Sister Maureen Norris has introduced her knitting group, Pegasus Court Ladies Knitting Circle, to the project and it is always a delight to receive a colourful bag of jumpers from them. We even had one sister’s mother, who is 94, involved in the project.

As long as the charity requires the knitted goods, the sisters and friends are happy to continue knitting and crocheting. Our next goal is 500 items!