Staying warm this winter for Type 1

A fundraiser’s ambitious target of selling 5,000 beanies before National Diabetes Week (July 10-16) is looking possible with just days to spare.

Geelong-based charity The Type1 Foundation has increased its annual target of beanie purchases in 2022 by 1,000, a target which founder Ange Liston-McCaughley believes is achievable.

“This is now our fourth year doing this initiative, which began with us trying to sell 1,000 of our beanies and now this year we’ve gone up to 5,000,” Ms Liston-McCaughley said.

“We’re already passed the 3,000 mark and all the money raised will go straight back into the families that benefit from all the things our charity does.

“We do things like youth camps, family events, our Care Packages which supports newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients and our education sessions as well as our awareness campaigns.”

Ms Liston-McCaughley, a mother to four including daughter Lila who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, said seeing communities across the country getting involved with this year’s initiative was awesome.

“We do pretty well with sales online, but to be honest it has been the bulk orders that I’ve been spending a lot of time doing and sending off all over Australia.

“Sometimes I can’t believe that people up in Queensland are buying the beanies, as well as down in Tasmania and as far as Perth.

“We also have families that sell the beanies for us at childcare centres, footy clubs, schools and out in their own communities.”

National Diabetes Week provides a terrific chance for those living with type 1 diabetes to know that they are not alone, according to Ms Liston-McCaughley’s opinion.

“A really great aspect of the week is that it is inclusive of those living with type 1 diabetes and it creates a great amount of community awareness,” she said.

At the start of this year’s fundraising efforts there were six types of beanies people could purchase, but due to demand Type 1’s Unisex Boss Beanies and Black Pom Pom beanies have sold out.

To purchase a beanie before Sunday, July 10, head to type1foundation.com.au/shop.