A GROUP of pensioners are recreating knitting groups which originally developed through the home front’s effort during the First World War.

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) have partnered with Beamish Museum, County Durham, to provide an Edwardian ‘knit and natter’ group during the week leading to Remembrance Sunday.

A group of 30 pensioners are also knitting items as part of the ‘A Parcel from Home’ project, where schoolchildren will search the grounds at Beamish looking for parcels to send to soldiers on the Western Front.

During the First World War, Lord Kitchener appealed for the home front to knit items such as socks, mittens and cholera belts to send to soldiers in the trenches.

Ashleigh Gibson, development worker at the Pelton Fell-based RSVP North East, said: “As a charity we have a lot of older people who knit items for overseas projects and operation shoe box appeal.

“Knitting was massive in the time of the First World War and people knitted items to send to the frontlines.”

RSVP North East has successfully bid for a Heritage Lottery World War One fund.

A training session, which includes lunch, will be available for those interested on September 15.

Anyone interested in knitting some items or taking part in one of the Edwardian knitting groups at Beamish Museum contact Angela or Ashleigh on 0191-389-1155 or email rsvpne@hotmail.com.