We are nearly at the end of the first month of winter. Temperatures are in the late teens/early twenties during the day and are usually between 4 and 8 degrees in the early hours of each day.

A group of kind-hearted volunteers from the Tuesday Crochet Club helped Lismore's homeless last week when they donated a bag full of beanies and scarves to Mieke Bell at the Lismore Soup Kitchen at The Winsome.

Melody Burge told the Lismore App that Lynne Masters, who passed away about eighteen months ago, founded the Tuesday Crochet Club. Melody has been with the group for about two years.

"We used to meet at the Workers Club downtown, then after the flood we moved to the Sports Club in Goonellabah.

"Every year, we try to do something charity-minded. One year, we made blankets; last year, we did the dignity bags and this year, we did the beanies and scarves.

The group meets every Tuesday morning at 10am at the Sports Club, and has spent the last two months creating some winter warmth for our homeless community.

"I think it was brought up in group back in April," Melody explained, "We've just been crocheting each Tuesday since, and when one was finished, I would take it home and store it, and then that person would move on to the next one."

The beanies and scarves are very colourful so easily recognised around town.

(From left: Liane, Lillian, Sue, Melody, Margie and David with their donation of scarves, beanies and vouchers for Lismore's homeless)

"If I saw one, I personally would feel really proud and feel like I contributed to the community. That would make me feel good. There are so many people that are much less fortunate than I am."

On top of the beanie and scarf donations, the group also donated $200 worth of Best and Less vouchers so people could purchase underwear and socks, as that is another needed item at the Winsome.

Lismore Soup Kitchen President Mieke Bell said it is always great to receive knitted goods.

"Our people are constantly asking for them. We put them out, mostly every day, and they do go, so it's always a great donation."

Mieke said the Winsome Soup Kitchen now has sufficient scarves and beanies for this winter.

"We do pass on some of our donations here to the Good Pantry on Wyrallah Road (East Lismore). The Good Pantry actually comes under the umbrella of the Lismore Soup Kitchen. So, if we get donations of warm clothes, beanies, scarves excess to what we need, we pass them on to the Pantry because they have a lot of people that go into the Pantry. They are never ever wasted.

"One of our volunteers is the wardrobe manager here; we call it The Closet, does a fabulous job looking after warm clothes that are needed. I am not sure what is on her list at the moment in terms of what we actually need, but we have had a few good donations recently, in terms of winter gear like tracksuits, jumpers, blankets and sleeping bags.

"If people want to know how they can help us, just reach out, then we can tell them the specific items we are looking for."

The Winsome & Lismore Soup Kitchen contact number is (02) 6622 4055 or Mieke's mobile on 0407 789 528.

"People can just give me a ring and ask what items are needed. We operate in that way because we have limited storage space for items that we're given. The community have been so generous and always are, particularly in winter."

The Tuesday Crochet Club meet at 10am each week at the Lismore Workers Sports Club in Goonellabah (202 Oliver Avenue). Anyone is welcome, and if you don't know how to crochet there are plenty of people to teach you that skill. Melody said she joined the group for the social aspect too.

"I joined the group because I'm out on a farm all week. Some weeks, I didn't even see anybody; I had no girlfriends or friends. This has been a lifesaver for me personally. It's my outing for the week, and I've clicked with a couple of people in the group that I've gone on to form really strong friendships with.

"We go off and do things together and go away to crochet retreats and stuff like that. They are a great bunch of people. We welcome new members."