In 2019 a group of ladies in the Pick n Pay Support Office initiated a project to honour Mandela Day, by knitting beanies for babies. Initially the goal was to produce 67 beanies, symbolic of Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of service.
However, their dedication and enthusiasm led to an impressive total of about 250 beanies, far surpassing their original target.
The following year the group expanded their efforts, knitting adult beanies for the Oncology Ward at Livingstone Hospital. This act of kindness not only brought warmth to the patients, but also demonstrated the group’s commitment to supporting their community.
The success of these projects inspired the ladies to continue their charitable knitting each year. They enlisted the help of friends and family, with staff member Diane Ackerman’s father-in-law, Ivor Dam, playing a particularly notable role.
At 80-years-old, Dam, affectionately known as Uncle Ivor, has been a tireless contributor to the Pick n Pay charity projects for the past year.
While the group typically begins knitting in April to prepare for Mandela Day in July, Uncle Ivor’s dedication sees him knitting all year round.
“I’m an old man with a lot of time on my hands, so I figured the best way to use my time, and to keep my brain from aging, is to knit, especially because the knitted beanies will be going to those who are in desperate need of them.
“I hope people can see that they are more than just items of clothing, they are symbols of care and compassion, lovingly crafted to provide comfort to those in need, and that motivates more people, especially senior citizens like myself, to join in on the fun,” said Dam.
Uncle Ivor usually gets the wool from his daughter-in-law, or the Pick n Pay team, “and sometimes I just buy the wool myself. I wake up each morning, get myself ready, then sit on my lazy boy chair and start knitting,” he said, adding 13 more beanies to the 343 he has already completed.
“I wouldn’t spend my time any other way,” he cheerfully said.
“On average I knit about three beanies a day, so you see you can do it too!” he said, before posing for photos at the cosy Love Story office in Richmond Hill.
