Knitted with love: Bringing joy to children across the world
A heartwarming partnership between two Wesley Mission Queensland residents, Joan Harrison from Dovetree Aged Care Community and Dianne from Rosemount Retirement Community, has brought smiles to children thousands of kilometres away.
Joan says she has always enjoyed keeping her hands busy through knitting and crocheting. Eventually, her passion evolved into creating handmade dolls, each carefully crafted with love and attention to detail.
"I've got to keep my fingers busy, and the only way I can do that is to knit and crochet," she says.
“I came up with patterns for the dolls and started making them for trauma kids. Thanks to getting into contact with Dianne, the dolls were able to be donated to an orphanage in the Philippines, and it was so lovely to see the smiles on their faces.”
Pictured: Joan Harrison |
Pictured: A child holding a doll they received |
Joan's dolls found their way to children in need through a connection with Dianne from Rosemount Retirement Village.
Dianne is actively involved with the Uniting Church and works alongside the Salvation Army to coordinate donations to communities across the Philippines.
For the past seven years, Dianne has helped send between 60 and 80 boxes of donated items each year to various locations throughout the country.
The first shipment of Joan's handmade dolls was sent to the Northern Division, where they were warmly received.
In April 2026, Dianne personally travelled to the Philippines, taking 30 of Joan's handmade dolls with her. The dolls were gifted to children living in an orphanage, children experiencing homelessness, Sunday school groups, and new mothers with babies.
The photographs from the visit capture the joy these simple but meaningful gifts brought to the children.
Each doll represents not only Joan's creativity and dedication but also the power of community connections to make a difference across the world.
Through their kindness and generosity, Joan and Dianne have shown how a shared commitment to helping others can have a lasting impact.
What began as a hobby in Dovetree Aged Care Community has become a source of comfort, happiness, and hope for children in the Philippines.
We thank Joan and Dianne for their incredible efforts and for reminding us that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a world of difference.