Local MP encourages people in East Falkirk and West Lothian to get involved in Save the Childrenâ€™s â€˜Knit One, Save Oneâ€™ campaign

Michael Connarty MP is asking everyone in East Falkirk and West Lothian to get their knitting needles out and take part in Save the Childrenâ€™s â€˜Knit One, Save Oneâ€™ campaign. Experienced knitters and novices alike are knitting hats for newborn babies which are attached to messages asking the Prime Minister to make saving children's lives a priority.

Michael 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 people in East Falkirk and West Lothian to take part in this campaign and knit a hat for Save the Children.’’

Michael has signed a parliamentary motion calling on the Government to ensure that all children and their mothers get access to basic healthcare, adequate nutrition, clean water and safe sanitation.

Pneumonia still kills a staggering 2 million children each year. Newborn babies are particularly vulnerable as they cannot control their body temperature. It takes just 2 minutes for a wet, newborn baby to lose a dangerous 2 degrees in body temperature. Most of this vital heat is lost through the soft spots on a baby’s head so a woolly hat can mean the difference between life and death.

As well as backing the campaign, Michael will be…

• encouraging local craft shops, schools and community centres to get everyone involved in knitting hats to save a child’s life

• collecting hats from knitters all around the local area and presenting them to a local Save the Children representative as East Falkirk and West Lothian’s contribution to this nationwide campaign

Save the Children will send the hats to places where large numbers of newborn babies die each year such as Kenya and Tibet. Tibet programme Manager Tashi Tsering says: "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."

‘Knit One, Save One’ is part of the Save the Children’s child survival campaign which aims to get 10 million people to take action by 2010 for the 10 million children that die each year.