Sculpture trail to get wrapped up in woolies

IT isn’t just the people of Ennis who are starting to bring out their winter woollies. The town’s sculpture trail is set to get wrapped up in wool at the end of the month as part of a colourful initiative to mark National Volunteering Day.
People across the county are being encouraged to get involved with the national day of volunteering which takes place on Friday, September 30.
In preparation Clare volunteers have been getting out their knitting needles to create knitted items, which are set to adorn the town’s sculptures on national volunteering day.
Sharon Meaney, development co-ordinator for the Clare Volunteer Centre in the Westgate Business Park explained, “This year is the third year that the Clare Volunteer Centre is participating in the National Day of Volunteering. Each year various events take place which give people a chance to give volunteering a go and allows community and voluntary groups to raise awareness of the fantastic work that goes on all year round, often unnoticed.
“The flagship event of this year’s National Volunteer Day is a national knit-a-thon, which sees hundreds of knitters across the country attempt to break the world record for the most number of people knitting simultaneously.
“What we are doing here in Clare is an urban knit project, where community and voluntary groups will be showcasing the vibrancy and colour of their organisations by decorating the sculptures on the Ennis Sculpture Trail on September 30 with various knitted items.
“Volunteers are being recruited to take part, so far we have ten groups and they have all been very enthusiastic about taking part. Some of the organisations have been knitting items in their group’s colours, they are knitting in their lunch times, any chance they get. The support has been fantastic.”
She added that this is just one event that is taking place in Clare on the day.
“There will be things happening at voluntary organisations all over the county, recognising the valuable work being done by volunteers.”
Volunteers who would like to knit on behalf of the organisation and to register to take part, contact Sharon or Dolores on info@volunteerclare.ie or 065 68 66 800. The full list of events taking place on the National Day of Volunteering can be seen on www.volunteerclare.ie.
The Clare Volunteer Centre is a one-stop shop for voluntary activity, providing volunteering opportunities for the public, sourcing much-needed volunteers for organisations and providing support for organisations in managing and supporting volunteers.
The Clare Volunteer Centre works to recognise and acknowledge the valuable contribution that volunteers bring to communities and has been a member of Volunteer Ireland since 2008.