67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day breaks Guiness World Record
The 3133 square metres of handmade blankets knitted, crocheted or quilted by the knitwits of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day has broken a Guinness World Record – it is the largest area covered by a blanket.
Carolyn Steyn, founder of the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day said, “Beyond my wildest dreams imaginable, this is our goodwill congratulations South Africa.”
Tuesday, 21 April 2015 will be remembered by many as a day that the Union Buildings in Pretoria was turned into a carpet of colourful blankets all through the dedication of this team of knitwits from every corner of the country. Knitwits and volunteers worked late into the night to ensure the blankets were laid out and presented correctly for the judging of this record breaking event.
This Mandela Day initiative celebrates the ethos and the legacy of a man who united South Africans in a time of uncertainty and today was a true testament to that, seeing thousands of hand crafted blankets hand made with love and compassion. The blankets will now be distributed to the needy before the cold arrives.
Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation added “This is a very proud moment for all involved and it shows we can survive anything that comes our way including inequality and xenophobia.”
This project which won the South African Campaign of the Year in 2014, celebrated its first anniversary in January and has attracted knitwits not only from South Africa but globally, and they heeded the call to “take up needles and hooks” to make blankets to keep people warm. There are groups not only in South Africa but also the USA, India , Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Cyprus, London and in the Netherlands.
The following organisations have generously supported this project: Cell C, Airlink, Stuttafords Van Lines, Saprotex, Juandre Distributors and Huawei.
For more information on the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, visit www.67blankets.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook and on Twitter.
