Tuesday 6 December 2011

End of an era

Well, with Anne delivering the artwork to Headway Knit a Neuron must draw to a close. We've had an amazing couple of years meeting so many interesting people who have taken the time to knit, knatter and create neurons. Neurons have travelled in from all over the world, the artwork's been up and down the UK and now has a proud home at Headway.

While Knit a Neuron is ending, other woolly science projects abound. From Stitch London's fantastic weekend at the Science Museum, the British Society of Immunology project The Big Knit: Multiple Sclerosis and just today I've heard from someone wanting to set up a craft science charity. There are others - too many to mention!

We'd like to take this chance to thank everyone who's been involved with Knit a Neuron. It's a project that could only happen with the support, energy and enthusiasm of people all over the world. It's been a great honour to be part of such a great project - we hope you feel the same way too.

We won't continue to update this blog, however we hope that it can remain here for a while to serve as record of a unique woolly science project.

Now then, where did put that chemistry crochet...

Knit a Neuron reaches its new home!


I'm sure that all KAN Fans will be please to hear that the artwork created out of our wonderful selection of donated, knitted neurons has now been presented to the ‘Headway’ centre in Henley-on-Thames, which will be its final home. Headway is a national charity that, “works to improve life after brain injury”. The Henley centre runs a day care program of physical and cognitive therapy and provides vital support to sufferers and carers affected by head injury.

Anne visited Headway on 21 November to present the artwork. She also spoke about the project, brain injury research going on in Bristol, and answered lots of questions on neuroscience (and other things besides!). Anne had a great day, enjoying the opportunity to meet and chat with all the clients in that day. Some had knitted their own neurons, and all of them were very interested in seeing the artwork depicting brain injury. One lady, Jane, was particularly thrilled with it as a brain haemorrhage had damaged her sight, but she could feel all the neurons and make out the colours.

The KAN neurons are now installed as a wall hanging in one of the rooms at Headway that is used for therapy or as a quiet space by clients.

Big thanks to everyone at Headway for welcoming KAN and giving it a new home!