MALCOLM BRUCE MP KNITS TO SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES

7.30.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 11th Jul 2008

Malcolm is backing the Save the Children campaign 'Knit One, Save One' for babies in developing countries

Local MP Malcolm Bruce MP joined forces with other MPs in the Houses of Parliament, to knit baby hats for Save the Children's latest campaign to save ten million children's lives.

The cross-party knitting session, which coincided with the G8 meeting in Tokyo, gave MPs the opportunity to set an example to world leaders by doing something tangible to save children's lives.

The event is part of the charity's latest campaign, 'Knit One, Save One', which encourages people in the UK to knit life-saving hats for newborns around the world. Save the Children has now received over 180,000 hats following pleas from Paul O Grady on his show, after he visited South Africa with the charity. Hats have already been sent to Tibet, Burma and Kenya but more are needed to keep saving babies lives.

A woolly hat can mean the difference between life and death for a newborn baby as they are unable to regulate their own body temperature. It takes just 2 minutes for a wet, newborn baby to lose a dangerous 2°C in body temperature - making them prone to catching one of the big killer diseases, pneumonia. In contrast, it takes just one hour for an MP to make a small bonnet and save a baby's life. Over 1 million babies don't survive beyond their first day of life and the charity is keen for more hats to be knitted.

Mr Bruce, who is also chairman of the influential International Development Select Committee, is asking everyone in Gordon to get their needles out and take part in Save the Children's 'Knit One, Save One' campaign. Experienced knitters and novices alike are knitting hats for vulnerable newborn babies in countries around the world. Knitters must attach messages to their hats asking the Prime Minister to make saving children's lives a priority.

Mr Bruce said: ''The large majority of child deaths are preventable and its wonderful to know that a simple solution such as knitting a hat can help to save a life. I hope the fact that such a small action can have an impact will inspire other people in the area to take part in this campaign and knit a hat for Save the Children.''

"I know that there are several knitting groups within the constituency and I hope that they will be willing to get together to "Knit One, Save One" over the summer months".

The hats will be sent to countries such as Kenya, Tibet and Zimbabwe. Save the Children's Tibet programme Manager Tashi Tsering said:

"Parents do everything they can to protect their babies from cold. But the most important thing - putting a hat on the baby's head - is neglected. That's like leaving a thermos bottle filled with hot water but without a lid."

Leora Hanser, Head of Campaigns and Advocacy at Save the Children said:

"The hats we have received so far are a fantastic start to this campaign but we still need many, many more hats. We hope that everyone who knits a hat - which Save the Children promises to deliver to a vulnerable baby - will also fill in an action card telling Gordon Brown why you knitted this hat. With more hats and everyone's help we can push the government to stick to the promise he and other world leaders made to cut child mortality by two thirds by 2015."

The charity wants to get 10 million people taking action for the 10 million children still dying before the age of five by 2010. A 'knit-kit' can be found on their website www.savethechildren.org.uk/knitting giving clear instructions to supporters who have never knitted before and information on where to send their life-saving hats.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The 'Knit One, Save One' campaign ends on 21st October 2008.

• Visit www.savethechildren.org.uk/knitting or call 0207 012 6705 for more information about the 'Knit One, Save One' campaign.