East Sussex Charity Boost for the Homeless & Other Worthy Causes started back in September 2020 and stemmed from a group of 1,000 people making scrubs for NHS staff through the early stages of the pandemic. Once this need for scrubs was met the group was created to help not-for-profit East Sussex charities through knitting, sewing, and donating items. The group regularly changes which charities to support including the homeless, animal charities, and organisations that help people with dementia. Carole Pink, group admin, said, “The few members were so generous, that we thought we might be able to branch out and offer help to not-for-profit charities and volunteers. “I thought about how we could help the others so I asked other members if they wanted to make a group to help the homeless and we collected members along the way. As it started to get cold we thought we need to do something – we can knit and we can help people that way.” Carole said out of around 90 members mainly based in Eastbourne and Seaford, the ages range from 12 to people in their 80s. Whatever the group can’t make, they buy and donate. She said it kept members busy and distracted through lockdown. Carole said, “It took our minds off covid.” The latest project has seen members donate to the Trussell Trust – a charity that works to end the need for food banks in the UK. Donations included homemade blankets, hats, sweets and biscuits, plus toys and Christmas stockings for the children. Carole said, “We also gave a huge amount of chocolate oranges to Surviving the Streets. We want to help others and the members take great pleasure from it and after making a donation delivery I love to hear the stories and see the excitement on their faces.” This year the group won two awards for their work including the Best of Eastbourne award last month. If you want to join the group head to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1492181817635352 The Trussell Trust was approached for a comment.