Katanning residents pitch in for bushfire animal rescue pouches

Crafty members of the Katanning community have put their heads and hands together to help WA’s bushfire-affected wildlife.

After hearing about the desperate demand for joey pouches, Katanning Senior High School canteen manager Paula Baker started “frantically sewing” to help out.

Fellow local Anita Joy said when she saw Ms Baker’s Facebook post asking for fabric donations, she felt compelled to get involved.

“I suggested organising a sewing workshop because Paula was so busy,” she said.

“The arts and crafts ladies graciously donated the use of their sewing room on Dore Street.”

Last Tuesday, a small group of Katanning residents — adults and children — managed to sew 17 pouches, with another 40 cut out and ready to be sewn.

“Each pouch takes about an hour to make, and it really also depends on the level of sewing skills, so everyone did very well,” she said. “And Paula has been amazing — it’s the school holidays at the moment so she’s just been sewing day and night.”

Ms Joy said sewing busy bees were a wholesome and creative way for communities to contribute to the recovery of animals rescued from bushfires.

She said the pouches would be donated to joeys rescued from WA fires in places such as Yanchep, the Stirling Range and Esperance.