Celebrate National Knitting Week and help donkeys in distress

This National Knitting Week (14-20 October) international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, is seeking knitters to take up the challenge of creating a donkey to raise funds for donkeys and mules worldwide.

Novice knitters or super stitchers are invited to download a free donkey knitting pattern from The Donkey Sanctuary’s website and turn their knitting needles towards producing a herd of knitted donkeys.

Since they first arrived at the Sanctuary, the adorable knitted donkeys have been growing in popularity every year. They are knitted by supporters and then sold in both the Sanctuary visitors’ centre and via the online gift shop to raise funds to support the charity.

Marian Gumbrell, The Donkey Sanctuary’s Community Fundraiser Manager, says: “We can’t get enough of knitted donkey products! We want people of all abilities to unravel a ball of wool and get knitting. With your help, we can continue our fantastic work protecting donkeys and mules all over the world.”

As each one is individually handmade, all the knitted donkeys are unique creations with their own personalities, just like the Sanctuary’s real life donkeys.

To download the free knitting pattern, visit: http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/register/woolley  or contact The Donkey Sanctuary on 01395 578222.

The attached image is published by The Donkey Sanctuary, under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence.

These colourful donkeys, hand knitted by our supporters, have been relinquished into our care and are now looking for new homes. Like our real donkeys these knitted donkeys come in all shapes, sizes and colours. They are unique and no two are the same