Knitted angels fly out to spread joy through Boldon communities - including thanking teams at the NHS Nightingale Vaccination Centre

Angels are spreading joy.Angels are spreading joy.
Angels are spreading joy.
More than a thousand lovingly crafted knitted angels have been delivering messages of peace, love and joy as a great annual Christmas mission returned.

The knitted angel project in the Boldons started in 2020 during lockdown, and volunteers were keen to get involved again, with the heavenly creations going out to bring cheer in the East Boldon, West Boldon and Boldon Colliery areas to be found my villagers.

However, this year some of the tiny knitted gifts flew a little further over to the NHS Nightingale Vaccination Centre, which lies within the parish of the churches involved in the Christmas knitting mission.

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The angels were delivered by Reverend Paul Barker, priest-in-charge, and Carol Robson, a member of one of the churches, who came out of retirement to work as a vaccinator at the Nightingale Centre, to be distributed to staff working there.

One of the NHS-themed angels.One of the NHS-themed angels.
One of the NHS-themed angels.

Mr Barker said the festive figures have been lovingly created with the hope that they will bring a sprinkling of love, peace and joy to anyone who finds one.

The priest said the team behind the project decided it was important to send some over to Nightingale Vaccination Centre.

“Everyone working there, they're angels themselves,” he said.

"As the Omicron variant spreads and everyone is encouraged to get boosted, vaccinators are working long hours to make this happen, to help keep people safe and protected, on top of everything they have already done. We think they’re amazing!

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Emma, matron at the Nightingale Vaccination Centre (left) with Reverend Paul Barker (centre) and Carol Robson, who were delivering the angelsEmma, matron at the Nightingale Vaccination Centre (left) with Reverend Paul Barker (centre) and Carol Robson, who were delivering the angels
Emma, matron at the Nightingale Vaccination Centre (left) with Reverend Paul Barker (centre) and Carol Robson, who were delivering the angels

"We hope that the staff finding these angels around the Nightingale Centre will know how much we appreciate everyone who has been working so hard to roll out the vaccination programme."

All of the Angels were blessed in special services held last Sunday in Boldon churches before flying out around the villages on Monday night.

Mr Barker said: “The reaction from the community so far has been fantastic. After another difficult year we wanted to show, that just like that first Christmas, 2000 years ago, even in the darkest of times God's love can and still does come to earth to bring light into the darkness."

The message on each angel reads: ‘May God bless you with joy, love and peace this Christmas’ and encourages people to take the angel home.

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Reverend Paul with some of the angels.Reverend Paul with some of the angels.
Reverend Paul with some of the angels.

"Each angel has a tag which can be scanned to watch a special invitation to join a special service on Christmas Eve and receive a prayer of blessing.

"We hope people will share photos of the angels they’ve found using the hashtag #BoldonAngels.”

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