AUSSIE woolgrowers who donated handfuls of wool to make a few suits for Prince William will be asked to give bales of wool to make blankets for homeless city folk.
The homeless people of Sydney would all be wrapped in a woollen blankets this winter if woolgrower’s daughter Haylee Olsson had her way.
And the 21-year-old media studies student and daughter of former Australian Wool Innovation director Chick Olsson is working on it.
She has initiated a project aimed at filming the production of 10,000 woollen blankets “from sheep to street”, including their gifting to homeless people by May next year.
Private donations to her cause – Project Warm Heart – made possible a gift of 150 wool-polyester blankets to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney this week, but Haylee is thinking bigger and warmer.
“We need so much support,” she said.
She and her father will be seeking woolgrower and industry support for raw wool and processing capacity to have woollen blankets made in Australia if possible or in China, where most Australian wool is processed.
Mr Olsson said if woolgrowers donated five tonnes of crossbred wool – about 33 150 kilogram bales – Project Warm Heart could make 10,000 blankets.
St Vincent’s Hospital chief executive officer in Sydney Jon Anderson said he was very happy to receive the 150 blankets on Monday.
“Our mission is to look after the poor and marginalised and the homeless is a particular group we are concerned with; making sure they are properly looked after," he said.
“So therefore the donation of these blankets is extremely well-received by us."
Any woolgrower or other business interested in supporting Project Warm Heart can contact Chick or Haylee Olsson.
Contact: 0403 045 664. 
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