Econ Engineering has partnered with a local knitting group to create a giant Christmas jumper and hat for one of its gritters.
The kit has been handcrafted by volunteers from the Ripon Community Poppy Project to spread a little festive joy as ‘Goldie the Gritter’ embarks on a 900-mile tour of the UK, visiting schools near Econ’s regional depots to explain the role Econ’s gritters play in keeping roads safe.
Since Goldie was built in 2019 to commemorate Econ’s 50th anniversary, it has travelled the country, training gritter drivers and engaging with schools through educational visits.
Econ managing director Jonathan Lupton (pictured) said: ‘Our gritter vehicles and their drivers are the unsung heroes of winter, so it’s been fantastic to celebrate our mission to keep the nation’s roads safe and moving by giving Goldie the Gritter her first jumper and hat to wear ahead of our busy winter season.’
Measuring 32ft by 28ft, the knitted creation is one of the Ripon Community Poppy Project’s biggest yet, taking 35 volunteers a total of 4,500 hours over the last 12 months to create using 1,130 balls of wool.
The Ripon Community Poppy Project is known for commemorating remembrance and other national events with its knitted poppies and other projects.
The group recently received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK, in honour of its work in the Ripon community and beyond.
Stuart Martin MBE, chairman of the Ripon Community Poppy Project, said: ‘Since we started the Ripon Community Poppy Project in 2017, our mission has been to bring our community closer together and this project has allowed us to do just that, with our dedicated and creative volunteers spending hours crafting each stitch to bring Goldie’s jumper to life.’
