A woman from Riverside in Cardiff is covering the front of her house with knitted flowers and insects to raise awareness and money to combat fuel poverty suffered by old people.
Sheleagh Llewellyn, a Fundraising Officer for Cardiff based charity Care and Repair Cymru, says many elderly people are living in cold damp houses and find it hard to cover the costs of ever increasing bills.
She says ‘People assume that maybe its easier for older people. But actually its not like that at all, its a real struggle’.
Care and Repair Cymru says 27% more elderly die during the winter months as temperatures drop, which is significantly higher than other countries and highlights the lack of available support.
The ‘knit bomb’ covering the front of her house is all part of a Fighting Fuel Poverty Campaign which aims to raise £10,000 for a hardship fund.
Sheleagh says ‘Bills like fuel bills don’t get any cheaper, food bills don’t get any cheaper, savings dwindle away and also people are living much longer so they’ve got to make that retirement stage of their life last for a really really long time’.
She’s also got help from locals and friends to help knit more creatures and flowers to cover the front of her house, with Knit Wits at George Thomas Hospice and Canton Singers getting involved.
In 2014/15 2,600 people died in Wales during the winter, with the majority being aged over seventy five.
