Byford senior Kath Noakes didn’t expect crochet to become such a big part of her life, let alone a lifeline for hundreds of people in need, when she picked up the hobby again after retiring at 60.
“I started crochet when I was about 20, but I was tied up bringing up my family of five and I didn’t really get to doing the work for charity until I retired,” she said.
Now 93-years-old, Kath has single-handedly crafted and donated more than 200 pieces this year alone, bringing comfort to some of the community’s most vulnerable.
“I’ve always felt that we were all put here to help each other,” she said.
“So, if you’ve got something you can do, you share it and you help somebody.”
Kath began donating her work when she lived in Busselton, where she first recognised the need for handmade clothing and comfort items.
She also contributed to a group sending supplies overseas but when the pandemic hit, Kath said everyone started doing charitable work which left her unsure of what to do.
“When Covid came in, everybody was doing charitable work and I said to my daughter, ‘I don’t know what to do’,” Kath said.
“She said, ‘mum, keep crocheting and I’ll find an outlet’.
“She found the outlet up here in Byford with one of the churches.”
Since then, Kath has been donating much of her work to Byford Baptist Church, continuing her mission through the pandemic and beyond.
Kath said another charity she supports is Children in Crisis, an organisation that works with children who are removed from their homes, often with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing.
“They lose their mum, dad, house, toys – everything in five or 10 minutes – and are put with strangers,” she said.
“For those children, I like to make colourful rugs for them to hang onto.”
As a retiree, she fills most of her days with her craft.
“Twice a day, I dip into my crossword book; I watch the telly for about an hour or two at night; and the rest of the time I’m crocheting,” she said.
“I think it’s very important to keep your brain busy.”
And while her crochet helps others, Kath said it also gives something meaningful back to her.
“It’s given me something to do, something to get up for each day,” she said.
“That is the main thing for me. I’ve got to be doing something.
“I can’t sit and look at the walls.”
