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The Rural Dean of Stowmarket, the Revd Barbara Bilston, thought it would be nice for some of the ardent knitters to visit the Mission and meet some of the sailors, says the Assistant Curate, the Revd Katherine Valentine (above, far right).
Six of the knitters were greeted by the Chaplain, Geoff Moore, who said he just couldn’t get enough warm hats and gloves to distribute. Fingerless gloves were especially popular. The sailors were so glad of them that all the brightly coloured hats and gloves disappeared as soon as he took them on board ship.
The knitters were shown around the Mission, which welcomes some 3000 seafarers a month. It offers them warmth, friendship, pastoral help, Bibles in many different languages, and the facilities to phone home.
They also met several of the sailors, and learned how much their gifts were appreciated. “It makes me want to get on with more knitting as soon as I get home,” said one of the visitors. They would like to go back to Felixstowe and, on their next visit, go on board a ship, to see how the sailors live.
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