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05.01.2023
Latvian residents have donated and handed over 5,100 kilograms of various knitwear to Latvijas Pasts post offices as part of the campaign Knitting in Support of Ukraine from September to the end of December 2022. This is equivalent to 51,000 pairs of socks, as calculated by the campaign’s organisers from the association Mēs Iecavai. The donated knitwear is further delivered to Ukrainian soldiers, civilians and war refugees by the association Tavi draugi. The organisers of the campaign – the association Mēs Iecavai and Tavi draugi – and Latvijas Pasts express their greatest gratitude to the supportive Latvian needlewomen and everyone who participated in the donation of knitted items.
Knitting in Support of Ukraine, the second campaign after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, started in September 2022 and continued until the end of the year, calling for donations of handicrafts of various types and sizes, which are needed by Ukrainian soldiers at the front, civilians in devastated cities and other populated areas, as well as war refugees. A total of 5,100 kilograms of knitwear was donated and delivered to post offices during the campaign by Latvian residents.
“It is impossible to describe in words how moved we felt when the people of Latvia joined the Knitting campaign, demonstrating the compassion and warmth of heart that we are able to give to others in difficult times. On behalf of Latvijas Pasts, I express my greatest appreciation to the organisers and participants of the campaign! I hope that 2023 will bring victory and peace to Ukraine, but the unity of our people and efforts to help will continue to serve as an example in the future,” Mārcis Vilcāns, Chairman of the Board of Latvijas Pasts, says.
“Knitting is not only the work of the hands, but also of the heart. It takes time and effort, because every work is special and unique. Therefore, the greatest appreciation for this work comes from the look in the recipients’ eyes. However, knowing the situation in Ukraine, needlewomen were knitting without expecting the recipient’s glance. And that is exactly why their diligence, passion and responsibility are admirable, because warmth is life,” Lauma Neimane, one of the initiators of the campaign and a representative of the association Mēs Iecavai, admits. “It is unusual to measure knitwear in some weighing units. Until now, it didn’t even occur to me that it can be done in kilograms, even tonnes. 5.1 tonnes or 51,000 pairs of socks. Yes, we have knitted that much! Our unwavering support for Ukraine confirms our belief in its victory!” L. Neimane points out.
Beāte Bēvalde, a representative of the association Tavi draugi, also emphasises the warm-heartedness of the campaign: “When the campaign began in autumn, we had no idea how touching it would turn out to be. As it got colder and more and more knitted items arrived at our warehouse, we realised that we had met the right people at the right time and that together we would succeed.” According to B. Bēvalde, as the representatives of the association received more and more requests for warm knitwear from soldiers, they were happy that, thanks to the Knitting campaign, they were able to send the necessary pairs of socks and gloves, as well as spare pairs to Ukraine. “Each knitted item sent with greetings, chocolate and words of encouragement has helped to hold the front line and show that we are in this fight together with Ukrainians, both in thought and deed. We are grateful from the bottom of our hearts to all the knitters who participated in this campaign, donating their time and warmth of heart!” says B. Bēvalde.
The knitted items within the campaign Knitting in Support of Ukraine were accepted free of charge in all post offices of Latvijas Pasts and delivered, through the intermediary of Latvijas Pasts, to the association Tavi draugi at 50 Ventspils Street, Riga, from where they were further transported to Ukraine.
The possibility of organising large-scale campaigns in support of Ukraine will also be considered in the future.
Some of the items donated during the campaign Knitting in Support of Ukraine can be viewed here.
The Knitting in Support of Ukraine campaign’s initiator, coordinator and distributor of the information regarding its progress on TV, in the press, on the radio and on social networks (websites for needlewomen, which have around 27,000 members) is the public organisation Mēs Iecavai.
About SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, parcel locker, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a wholly State-owned company with around 3,000 employees. The quality measurements of Latvijas Pasts domestic mail deliveries are regularly conducted by Kantar TNS, one of the leading market, social and media research agencies in Latvia. In turn, the quality measurements of the cross-border deliveries are provided within the framework of the International Post Corporation through the intermediary of the research companies Kantar TNS, Ipsos and Quotas.
Additional information:
Gundega Vārpa | Latvijas Pasts
E-mail: pr@pasts.lv; gundega.varpa@pasts.lv
Lauma Neimane I Mēs Iecavai
Mobile phone: +371 29 444 990
Laura Luika I Mēs Iecavai
Mobile phone: +371 29 412 094
Beāte Bēvalde I Tavi draugi
Mobile phone: +371 22 314 541