Knit, pearl, sip. Whether it's wine, tea or coffee, this is the motto behind the ‘KPS' women's group that is providing yearly contributions to Tauranga Hospital's children's ward.

Recently, the group got together with Karyn Sanson, a Tauranga Hospital staff nurse, to donate hand-crafted garments.

KPS member Sharon McEnteer says the group initially formed to provide a good cause to the hospital while socialising with neighbourhood friends.

'I asked a nurse friend of mine what the kids need, and they said: ‘A bit of everything',” says Sharon.

'We started doing beanies, and named ourselves ‘beanies for babies'”

Sharon says after a while, the group decided to provide more than just beanies to the hospital.

'Often they have no clothes, and when they go home in the winter, at least they can send them home with a warm jersey on. We knit at least 100 things during the year.

'Some kids never get new clothes, so even if they get transferred over to Starship, they can still send some things over to them.

'In a lot of hospitals you get little non-slip socks to wear. The little kids don't have those, so we're starting this year to make some socks for them with little non-skid soles on them.

'That way they can stomp around the hospital and make the nurses go mad,” laughs Sharon.

'We mainly make jerseys, vests, beanies, cardigans and a few toys.”

The group keeps in contact and meets every Tuesday afternoon. 'We're all mainly neighbours, but a few people have come into the group over the years and have fit in beautifully.”

Karyn Sanson, a staff nurse receiving the knitting on behalf of Tauranga Hospital, says it is an awesome initiative. 'It is especially special when you've had a rough night with a child,” says Karyn.

'If they've had a bad time, we can say: ‘Oh hold on, let me get something nice for you' and come back with something that they've knitted.”

Sharon says the group also tries to make mittens for little ones who have tubes in their noses or something similar. 'This stops them from pulling them out. We put little faces and patterns on them. 'This is our way of trying to brighten up their life.”