A truly unusual proposition

I just received an email from Oxfam with the most unusual ask I think I can ever remember getting from a charity: To knit a square for a giant, knitted petition.

I read on to find out 'How a giant, knitted petition could make a big difference to mums in poor countries'.

Now, I can't even knit, but I'm so taken with this campaign that I requested a guide without giving it much more thought.  Let's just hope it's simple -- and can succeed to teach me the basics of knitting where my so many members of my family previously failed -- because Oxfam want me to take a photo of it and upload it to the Flickr group they've created for the campaign.

Brilliant.

If that wasn't enough, they have provided a selection of banners for supporters to use on their websites and blogs.

Oxfam have come up with something really different here -- that stands out from so many of the other asks made by charities.  It also lends itself to sharing of content on and offline (the Flickr site shows people getting together to knit), and provides the tools to do this.  All of this gives the campaign real impact, and turns it into an experience, by injecting elements of community and fun alongside a serious message.

Who knows, as well as helping to reduce mortality rates in pregnancy and childbirth safer for women in poor countries, I might finally even learn to knit.  Sounds like a win-win to me.

Comments

[Louise]

aaah, my favourite moments, when knitting and ICT combine! You'll be surprised just how many knitting campaigns there are out there, WaterAid organised a knitted river, Save the Children currently have a campaign to get people to knit baby hats, St Johns Ambulance encouraged people to knit tea cosies which could then be sold on and Stitch n Bitch London created a big pink blanket to support Breast Cancer Care.

www.iknit.org.uk/knitariver.html
www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/5072.htm
www.sja.org.uk/sja/support-us/fundraise/organise-an-event/big-tea-cosy.aspx
www.justgiving.com/sandblondonbreastcancercareblanket

As you'll see knitting is the new campaigning tool, maybe I should start to think about it as a new career :-)

[Rachel Beer]

Thanks for your comment, and sharing those links, Louise.

I'd found a couple of those while in the process of trying to find some clear instructions so I could get knitting. Sadly, however clear the instructions, I can't seem to master it. Is there such a thing as 'two left hands'?!

There's also the Innocent Big Knit for Age Concern: http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit/?Page=thebigknit_story

Of course, all this is rather more reinvention, rather than invention, as my Nanna was knitting blankets for charity long before it was cool! But I love the new spin (no pun intended) being put on knitting for causes now. It interests me that it offers something that charities really benefit from - the opportunity to truly engage people with their brand through a route other than donating money. I am hypothesising, but I think that something more experiential like this might create a deeper bond and greater commitment. I would be really interested to see how many knitters, who aren't already financial donors, go on to give money and/ or support Oxfam in other ways, as opposed to those whose first exposure was to have been asked directly for money. I know that charities often find that conversion from campaigning asks to other types of support - particularly financial - can be disappointing, and is usually more difficult to achieve than converting someone who already gives money to support additionally in other ways. I would be very interested to see whether adding the experiential element creates a different dynamic.

[Louise]

Whenever you want to start a knitting / social media meet up, just let me know! (i can teach you Rachel)