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Every morning, children in Harford, Cheshire, a quaint village 2 miles southwest of the town of Northwich, would go on a treasure hunt. They look for the mysterious gifts hidden in a zip-lock bag that can appear almost anywhere: in gardens, on doorsteps, tucked into hedgerows like gifts from some benevolent fairy tale. One may find a knitted bear with button eyes, another a lamb in pastel, and a third a dog that looks almost real. Each one is tied with a gift tag signed only with the initials: Granny H.For two years, the village wondered where these knitted gifts came from. While the kids were busy comparing their finds, the parents exchanged notes on their own wild theories. Some were even convinced she didn’t exist, maybe a yarn fairy with good intentions dropping them from heaven!Only, Granny H was real. She is 90 years old and has a name: June Rose Hood.
Meet June Rose Hood, aka Granny H, the woman who knits joy
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For Hood, knitting toys is simply therapeutic. It helps her with anxiety. “I just love doing it,” she told the BBC earlier. She knits these cute gifts, and her grandson helps hide them in the village. Though these handmade toys have brought smiles to hundreds of children for years, Granny H feels the process has helped her just as much.“It’s the best thing I have done for it. I really do. I think I’d be a really grumpy person without it,” she told the broadcaster. For her, knitting is a hobby, something she enjoys that occupies her time.“I just sit and knit and the time flies by. In fact, I don’t want to do the housework any more,” she said.
A birthday gift
As Hood turned 90, her family arranged a community gathering for her birthday. When she arrived, the people she had been giving to all along stood there waiting, cheering, children and adults alike, converging around the woman who had spent two years on her sofa with knitting needles, creating hope one stitch at a time.“It’s overwhelming and I don’t know what to say. I’m really shocked to see everyone. I think it is the best thing to happen to me in my 90 years,” Granny H said, as she enthusiastically greeted everyone around her.“She has become quite famous in the area,” her grandson Matt Tarry said.
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Hood’s daughter, Paula Tarry, was overjoyed that so many people came together to celebrate. “It has been magical. I can’t thank everyone enough for recognising what my mum does. She’s got a heart of gold.”Tarry also spoke about the tough time her mother has been through and how knitting helped her. “She went through a very tough time last year and felt very lonely. She was a little bit lost. But this has changed her life. The moment she wakes up, she cannot wait to get those knitting needles out quickly enough,” Tarry said. Go to Source
