Members of The Knitwits group Sandy Austin, Patricia Edwards and Gail Taylor with Mayor Caroline Knight
A group of local knitters and crocheters have stitched up a storm to help raise awareness and understanding of elder abuse through the state-wide Purple Road Project.
Members of The Knitwits, who have weekly crafting sessions at the Mandurah Seniors Centre, have made individual flowers to contribute to their patch of purple knitted ‘road’, symbolising the path towards a brighter, equitable and safer future for older people.
The beautiful Purple Road was on display at the Seniors Centre on Tuesday, June 10, for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day afternoon tea, with the community coming together to raise awareness and hear information about elder abuse and other challenges seniors face.
The Knitwits, which formed in 2012, contributed to the project for the first time last year, making hundreds of flowers for the Purple Road. This year, The Knitwits have again made hundreds of flowers for the project, with each handmade flower telling a story of courage and perseverance and illustrating the challenges seniors face which can include several different forms of elder abuse.
The Purple Road Project started in 2011 and is now around 100m in length, stretching across communities as a testament to the strength and spirit of those it represents. The collaborative artwork becomes larger and longer each year with many symbolic flowers advocating for the protection of older people’s rights.
Annually on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15), sections of Purple Road from across the State join to represent resilience and solidarity and are often put on display to help spread awareness and understanding of elder abuse.
Mandurah’s Purple Road artwork will be displayed at the City’s Administration Building (June 16 – 20) and the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre (June 23 – 27) for the community to enjoy.
Mayor Caroline Knight congratulated The Knitwits for their dedication towards helping to raise awareness in the community for an important issue. “Older people have the right to feel safe, valued and respected, and this project is a really meaningful way we can stand together against mistreatment of older people,” Mayor Knight said.
This Sunday, June 15, Mandurah Bridge will be lit up purple in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
