KNITTERS in Boston are being asked to put their needles to charitable use and help Age UK keep elderly residents in the town warm.

Age UK Boston is looking to knit 4,000 little woolly hats to fit on Innocent smoothie bottles by the end of September as part of a link-up with Sainsbury's.

The Big Knit 2010 is a national scheme which will see Innocent and Sainsbury's give 25p to the charity to help fund winter warmth projects for each be-hatted smoothie sold in the supermarket giants stores from November 3. Age UK Boston has been set a target of 4,000 hats as its part of the national effort to knit 800,000, but so far it has only managed around 1,000.

The group's chief officer Richard Barclay told the Target: "We want to involve as many local people as possible in this year's effort to knit 4,000 hats for the Big Knit.

"A 25p donation for every smoothie bottle sold will enable Age UK to fund vital projects aimed at keeping people in later life warm and healthy this winter.

"All funds raised for Age UK will help fund projects aimed at promoting winter warmth for people in later life.

"The hats are a great way to raise funds for what is a serious issue for many people in later life.

"Eighty per cent of the money raised will fund projects on a local level and 20 per cent will go towards funding national winter warmth activity."

Volunteer knitters should contact Age Concern Boston at County Hall, Boston, to get a simple hat pattern and this is the same location where completed hats need to be returned to in order for them to count to the local target.

For more information, call Age UK Boston on (01522) 554995.