Grandmother-of-six Fay Sober has set up a knitting group for local residents to make blankets for charity.

Mrs Sober, 80, and her team, will send the collection, which includes teddy bears, dolls and animals, to underprivileged children in Eastern Europe and Israel.

She set up the initiative after moving to north London from Westcliff-on-Sea to be closer to her children. Her late-husband was Reverend Leonard Sober. She tells People: "I was involved in a group like this in Westcliff where we sent teddy bears to children in Belarus. They were very well-received so I wanted to do something here.

"Knitting is very comforting and what can be made is equally as comforting for the children. It is very important the children have these things - and sometimes adults too."

There are eight people in the knitting group - all women she has met through her local Pinner Synagogue. They meet fortnightly and have made more than 50 teddy bears so far.

Mrs Sober will send the goodies to orphanages in Belarus with World Jewish Relief, and she will personally give them to children in Israel when she takes part in an Emunah mission in March. "It will be so nice to see the children's response." She adds: "I hope more people will join the group, which is for all abilities. People are sitting at home bored so it's something to do - and it's company. The television is not as stimulating as it used to be."