Crochet for Change: Shrewsbury Riverside Students Making an Impact One Stitch at a Time
Exceptional People Outstanding Opportunities Riverside Pastoral Riverside Sixth form SHR ArticleIn 2022, three passionate students from the class of 2025, Tun, Anabel, and Jelly, founded Crochet for Change, a student-led NGO with the mission of combining creativity with philanthropy.
With guidance from Mr Smith from the English department, the initiative gained momentum, offering students a meaningful way to engage in “You-Time!” while learning a new skill—crochet. However, beyond the craft, Crochet for Change has aimed to give back to the community, making a lasting impact on people in need.

One of the first major milestones for Crochet for Change was its project to help bed-bound patients at Thammasat University Hospital. The group’s members, through their hard work and dedication, were able to donate 10,000 baht along with 100 hand-crocheted safety mittens, designed to aid in preventing self-injury. This heartfelt contribution exemplified the immense potential that arises when creativity and compassion coexist harmoniously.
The club’s current undertaking is the Cancer Beanie Project, which has already seen great success. On August 23rd, 2024, Crochet for Change made a generous donation of 15,000 baht, along with 34 beautifully hand-crocheted cancer beanies, to the National Cancer Institute of Thailand. Students, many of whom learnt the skill from fellow club members, crafted these beanies. This project, in particular, has been a testament to the dedication of everyone involved, from the students crafting the items to the wider Shrewsbury International School Bangkok Riverside community, who contributed to the club’s successful fundraising efforts over the past academic year.

Crochet for Change is already hard at work on its next initiative: crocheting blankets for children in need. This time, they are collaborating with The Fellowship Foundation for Child and Youth Development, to make an even bigger difference in the lives of vulnerable children. The club is excited to continue its charitable efforts and is actively planning fundraising events for this year to support the project.