Knit Off to Kick Off: Rotherham knitters needed to decorate town for Women’s Euros

The Knit Off to Kick Off campaign is calling on knit and natter groups to come together to help yarn bomb the town centre with crocheted and knitted flowers and footballs in the tournament colours.

The colourful decorations will be sewn together and wrapped around trees in the town centre to ‘celebrate the wealth of green space available in the borough’.

Rotherham is one of nine host cities for the tournament with three group games and a quarter final due to be held at the New York Stadium.

The event is set to be the biggest women’s football event in UEFA history with tens of thousands of peoplefrom across the region and Europe expected to visit the borough over the course of the tournament.

All wool will be provided free of charge for organised groups, with the aim of creating upwards of 5,000 decorative flowers and footballs. In return for their contributions, groups will receive free taster sessions of soccersice or walking football.

The campaign will launch on Tuesday March 1 at 2pm at Rawmarsh Library giving people the opportunity to find out more and for groups to pick up their supplies.

Councillor David Sheppard, Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for social inclusion, said: “It’s great to have a tournament with such prestige coming to Rotherham and these displays will be a wonderful way to welcome visitors to the town centre.

“As with so many of our community groups, our local knitters have spent a great deal of time away from their friends and fellow enthusiasts – this is a great opportunity to give people a reason to meet back up in their library or to sign-up to their local group.”

To find your nearest Knit and Natter group visit – www.rotherham.gov.uk/events.

If your group would like to get involved or you want more information, please visit –www.rotherhamtowncentre.co.uk/knitofftokickoff