KNITTERS are coming together during lockdown to create giant blankets to raise money for NHS charities.

Culture Healing Communities is a craft-based group run by two Portuguese Durham University graduates.

Sandra Almeida, 53, and Veronica Freitas, 35, who live at Gilesgate, have designed the project to help people overcome feeling of isolation and be part of a collective project.

They have designed a pattern of a rainbow on a small square and are getting 100 people to knitg them so they can be stitched together to form a blanket.

They blanket will then be auctioned with the proceeds going to charity.

Ms Almeida said: “We saw how much people were suffering with the lockdown due to Covid-19.

“They could not go out and it leads to depression and low mood so we thought ‘we love the NHS and want to support the NHS’ and wanted to help.

“Loads of people had the same feeling, so we thought we can do something where you do not have to go outside.

“We came up with the idea of something you can do from home that would still help the NHS.”

The group secured funding for materials but was so popular not everyone was able to be involved.

Mr Almeida added: “We had 500 people who wanted to be part of it but could only accept the first 100.”