Knitted Travel Buddies bring comfort, kindness and connection from Hilsea Station this Christmas

ExCo

A heart-warming community project is spreading handmade surprises across Portsmouth this Christmas, with 150 knitted and crocheted Travel Buddies being hidden around the area and donated to charities which support young people.

The Travel Buddy Project, based at Hilsea Station, is a partnership between Community Spotlight CIC and Hampshire Community Rail Partnership, created to celebrate Railway 200. The initiative has been supported by South Western Railway (SWR) and aims to spread kindness, creativity and connection through small handmade gifts.

While the festive season can be joyful for many, organisers are mindful that Christmas can also be a difficult and lonely time for some people. Finding or receiving a Travel Buddy — a small, handmade companion — is intended to offer comfort, reassurance and a gentle moment of connection.

“For someone having a hard day or feeling alone, finding a Travel Buddy could bring a moment of comfort and a small reminder that kindness still exists, even on difficult days,” said a project organiser.

The response to the project has been overwhelming, with Travel Buddies donated from across the local community and further afield, including contributions from the Midlands and even Ontario, Canada, where a specially made Travel Buddy was sent across the Atlantic.

As part of the project’s inclusive and ethical approach, organisers contacted the Izzy Doll Project in Canada to ask permission to share their patterns. The Izzy Doll initiative, which began in 2002, provides small comfort dolls to children affected by trauma, conflict and displacement around the world. With their blessing, the patterns were shared to inspire knitters taking part in the Travel Buddy Project. More information about the Izzy Doll story can be found at https://izzydolls.org.

Each Travel Buddy includes a tag explaining the project and a friendly challenge inviting finders to share a photo of their buddy’s travels. The tags also feature a QR code linking to information about Community Spotlight’s Hilsea Station Adoption Project, where people can learn more about the group’s community activities at the station and find out how to get involved.

Some Travel Buddies will be hidden in safe, accessible locations around Hilsea as part of a gentle game of hide and seek, while others will be donated directly to charities supporting young people, ensuring the project reaches those who may benefit most from a small gesture of kindness.

As a festive extra, South Western Railway has been set a “challenge within a challenge”, featuring two special Travel Buddies knitted by Pam, a member of Community Kettle’s Craft Group in Cosham. Members of the public are encouraged to follow South Western Railway on social media to find out more about this special Christmas challenge.

The organisers would like to thank everyone who donated their time, yarn and creativity, helping to turn a simple idea into a project that offers joy, comfort and connection at a meaningful time of year.

Find out more about Community Spotlight at: https://www.facebook.com/CommunitySpotlightPortsmouth

If you would like to get involved with our community projects, email Jane at [email protected]