Hastings teen makes blankets for homeless from crisp packets

Savana Isles says she wants to “make a difference close to home”.

She has so far helped create seven blankets out of used crisp packets which are then given to homeless and vulnerable people to help them survive.

The 13-year-old began volunteering at the Crisp Packet Project in January and plans to continue making the blankets for people in need.

Savana, who lives in Hastings, said: “I wanted to do something that would make a difference close to home.

Savana creating the blankets from crisp packets (Image: PA)

“I didn’t actually know what you could do with crisp packets but once I went there, I saw what  could be made and it was very interesting.

“It was also nice knowing that they were going to go out to people somewhere to help them.”

Savana, a Year 9 student at St Richard’s Catholic College in Bexhill, began volunteering for the project as part of her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.

Each blanket takes some 56 crisp packets to make. The packets are joined together with an iron and clear plastic waste salvaged from a sofa company.

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The project, based in St Leonards, was set up in November and has so far made more than 5,000 items, blankets and sleeping bags, which have been sent across the UK and also to Ukraine.

Pen Huston, founder of Crisp Packet Project, said Savana took to the project like a “duck to water”.

She added: “She came down with her father and mother and just cracked on making the crisp packets into strips on our two-hour workshop.

Volunteers from the crisp packet project (Image: PA)

“Then she took one of our bag sealer machines home and made loads and loads.

“She was so, so good and her strips were so straight – very well done to her – and it was lovely seeing her mother and father there as well.”

Crisp Packet Project’s blankets and sleeping bag covers have been used by Sussex Police in their custody units as well as homelessness charities in London.