Published Date:
01 August 2008
MP Nick Clegg was well and truly stitched up when he agreed to join campaigners at the Oxfam shop in Fulwood Road – and found he had joined a knitting circle.
The Liberal Democrat leader was roped in to knit a nine-inch square for a giant baby blanket, being created by the charity's Maternal Mortality Campaign.
Each square represents a mother who would have survived pregnancy or childbirth is she had received the basic medical care she needed.
Nick admitted he had never picked up a pair of knitting needles before: "I can't knit so I was quite scared… I wanted to show my support but didn't realise I would be knitting.
"It was a big learning experience but I couldn't let my incompetence stop me. I'm a huge fan of Oxfam's campaign – I saw how critical and poor some of the services are.
"Every minute a mother dies and 500,000 will die this year alone."
He eventually succeeded in contributing a red-and-white-striped square to the blanket, which will be used to put pressure on world leaders to provide free essential healthcare.
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Last Updated:
01 August 2008 2:21 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
SHEFFIELD, SOUTH YORKSHIRE
