Three generations of Scottish family knit 6,500 chocolate 'hats' to raise over £35,000 for Mary's Meals

(L-R)Maja (family friend), Lucy Young, Jackie Young and Colin Young

And as Easter approaches, the Young family are spreading joy once more by knitting their charming chocolate egg covers to raise funds for international school feeding charity Mary’s Meals.

Colin and Jackie, from Midlothian, first discovered Mary’s Meals 12 years ago while watching a television programme featuring the charity’s work in Malawi. Moved by the charity’s impact – providing meals to hungry children to encourage school attendance – the couple felt inspired to take action.

Colin recalls: “We were inspired by the transformative power of providing food in schools and how such a simple act can lead to a better life for children.

Three generations of a Midlothian family have raised over £35,000 for charity by knitting 6,500 chocolate ‘hats’.

“Seeing the scale of hunger and poverty was daunting, but we found encouragement in Mother Teresa’s words: ‘If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.’ So, we set out to do just that.”

Mary’s Meals, founded in a shed in the Scottish Highlands, provides daily school meals to more than 2.6 million children across 16 of the world’s poorest countries, including Haiti, Malawi and South Sudan. The charity’s feeding programme ensures that a nutritious meal attracts children into the classroom, where education becomes the key to a brighter future.

Jackie’s knitting journey began when someone offered to pay for a scarf she made as a Christmas present. Instead of accepting payment, she donated the money to Mary’s Meals. That simple act of kindness has since blossomed into an ongoing project, producing more than 410 scarves, 35 baby blankets and an astonishing 6,500 ‘hats’ for chocolates.

Having raised more than £35,000 for Mary’s Meals over the past decade, the couple estimates that if all the scarves Jackie has knitted were joined together, they would stretch from the top of the Eiffel Tower down to the ground.

There’s no stopping the Midlothian couple as they aim to raise £3,000 for Mary’s Meals.

Fundraising for Mary’s Meals has become a true family effort. Their granddaughter, Lucy, now 16 years old, started helping at just eight years old. Initially assisting with table sales, she now creates crochet animals to sell alongside her grandparents’ knits, raising an impressive £1,000 to date.

Colin and Jackie’s daughter, Laura, has also joined the cause, contributing new, creative ideas and making paper-based crafts that have generated around £1,200 for the charity.

This year, the family hopes to raise £3,000, largely through their Easter and Christmas projects, with support from two local high schools. Their continued dedication is a testament to how small, heartfelt actions can make a significant impact.

Sally Davidson, Supporter Engagement Officer for East Scotland​ at Mary’s Meals, says: “Colin and Jackie’s dedication is truly inspiring. Their creativity and generosity demonstrate the power of small acts of kindness in transforming lives. Every stitch they knit helps provide nutritious meals for children who might otherwise go hungry.

“We are incredibly grateful for their support and for the way they’ve brought their whole community together to help Mary’s Meals feed the next child waiting for a nutritious daily meal in a place of education.”

For those feeling inspired by Colin and Jackie’s efforts, there are many ways to get involved. Whether it’s knitting, baking, hosting a fundraiser, or simply spreading the word, every action – no matter the size – can make a big difference.

Visit Mary’s Meals website for more ideas on how to help feed hungry children and find out how Mary’s Meals is providing More Than A Meal for some of the world’s poorest communities.