Q&A with volunteer Michelle
With so many new members joining our club, we are continuing our series where we chat to each of our volunteer board members. Last but not lease, is volunteer Michelle Bennett
Introduce yourself
I’m Michelle, and I have the huge privilege of opening and sorting almost all the parcels that arrive at Premmie Knitting Club. I’m also a member of the volunteer board and, perhaps most importantly, Courtney’s mum.
Professionally, I work as the Financial Controller and Office Manager at Benefitz, a printing and signage company my husband and I founded 38 years ago. I also volunteer on the board of Abilities, an organisation that provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Both roles are incredibly rewarding and give me a great sense of purpose.
Outside of work, I love spending time with my four gorgeous grandchildren. We also have a dog who always seems to need a walk, and I enjoy nothing more than sitting down with a good book. My real passion, though, is stitching. Every spare moment I can find is spent creating something colourful with thread, and I almost always have one or two projects on the go.
I learned to knit as a child at the knees of my Nana, who was rarely seen without knitting needles in her hands. As my daughters grew up, I would occasionally knit garments for them, and now I still knit the odd item for my grandchildren. These days, however, I much prefer the creativity and artistic freedom of slow stitching.
What inspired you to get involved with PKC?
As the mum of the very driven Courtney, I didn’t really have much choice but to get involved!
Joking aside, having experienced firsthand the need for preemie clothing 36 years ago, I wanted to do everything I could to help Courtney bring PKC to life. When Courtney was born, there was very little available to dress her in. My aunty lovingly made the most gorgeous doll-sized clothes for her, which we have treasured ever since.
Knowing that today’s tiny babies can go home wrapped in beautiful blankets and wearing specially made clothing truly warms my heart. It’s incredibly special to know that families are receiving items created with so much care and love.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
A typical week usually involves spending much of my time at Benefitz, crunching numbers and keeping things running smoothly.
Wednesdays are reserved for “Grammy Wednesday”, a special day dedicated to spending time and making memories with my grandchildren.
My husband and I also have a place at Point Wells, where we spend most weekends. It’s often there that I can carve out some quiet time to sit and stitch.
Each week, I also dedicate several hours to PKC. This includes opening and sorting donated parcels, organising items, and packing boxes ready to send to hospitals around New Zealand.
Lately, however, things have been a little different. Thanks to our latest campaign, the post office has become a regular stop, and I’m now on very good terms with our local NZ Post courier! At the moment, they’re making two deliveries a day to our house, often dropping off sacks of parcels each time. Any spare moment is spent in the garage counting, sorting, and organising donations.
Normally, my evenings are spent stitching in front of the television. Over the past month, though, they’ve been spent in the garage with a podcast playing in the background, usually a true crime series.
What is the most rewarding part of being involved with PKC?
Without a doubt, it’s witnessing the incredible kindness and generosity of people.
We have supporters who have been knitting for us for years, with parcels arriving month after month without fail. Wool is expensive, and the fact that people willingly purchase materials, spend hours knitting and sewing beautiful items, and then donate them to PKC is truly remarkable.
The notes we receive inside many of the parcels are equally heartwarming. Some come from people who haven’t knitted in years but have picked up their needles again. Others are from young children learning to knit for the first time, or families who have had loved ones spend time in NICUs themselves.
One of my favourite tasks is acknowledging every parcel we receive with a quick text or email. It always makes me a little sad when a package arrives without any contact details, because I can’t personally thank the sender for their generosity.
Most of all, though, I love seeing the beautiful handmade items that arrive every week. Knowing that each blanket, hat, or garment will one day be treasured by a family and taken home by a precious baby is what keeps me going.
