And Leading Senior Constable Bernadette Brooks already knows where the first few will go.
‘‘There are families sleeping all together in lounge rooms this winter because they only have one heater and just cotton sheets,’’ she said.
‘‘That’s my first stop.
‘‘The other night we also had three little ones who had been caught up in a family incident and they had to sit in the station for three hours waiting. Now we can give them these blankets to keep them cosy and warm.’’
Echuca Neighbourhood House manager Kristen Munro said the idea to donate the blankets developed after the house’s woolcraft ladies approached her asking how they could give back to the community.
‘‘Initially they came up with the idea of knitting toys for disadvantaged children,’’ she said.
‘‘So we did a bit of a ring around our networks to see who might be interested and spoke with Bernadette Brooks here at Echuca Police Station and she said toys were great, but what they really needed was blankets.
‘‘So we’ve had myriad helpers knitting, crocheting, making polar fleece blankets. And Rich River Quilters have also come on board, making a lovely collection of patchwork quilts.’’
In fact there are so many blankets, Kristen has lost count.
‘‘I think we’re up to about 30 but there’s a bit of a production line going on,’’ she said.
‘‘The station will use these and we’ll still have a supply back at the Echuca Neighbourhood House and will just keep feeding them in as they’re required.’’
Leading Senior Constable Brooks said the blankets came at the perfect time, as winter grows increasingly frosty.
‘‘It’s actually overwhelming in Echuca and the surrounding areas the number of people who are willing to help. And they identify a need and are actually approaching me which is fantastic, I don’t have to go out looking for support,’’ she said.
‘‘In Echuca and the surrounding areas we have a number of families doing it a bit tough at the moment just with their finances, some people don’t even put their heating on in winter.
‘‘So I’ve identified a number of families we’ll be handing these blankets to and if anyone would like blankets or knows someone who needs blankets, they can come into the station and see us.’’
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