lifestyle

Australia's oldest man is knitting jumpers for injured penguins.

Could this story be any more perfect? No. No it could not.

Imagine being 109.

Assuming you retired in your 60’s, what would you do with your time? Read? Watch TV? Explore the world?

This man, Australia’s oldest living human, has been knitting jumpers for injured penguins. As you do.

Alfie Dates penguin jumpers
Alfie Dates. Image via video.

 

Alfred ‘Alfie’ Date of the NSW’s Central Coast, spoke to Nine News about how his hobby was formed.

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The prolific knitter began knitting in 1932 when his sister-in-law taught him how to knit a jumper for his newborn nephew.

“She said knit me a jumper,” Alfie recalled. “And that was my first effort — a jumper for the boy.”

penguin-foundation-phillip-island
Image via Phillip Island Penguin Foundation.

 

Alfie began to put his hobby to good use after Victoria’s Phillip Island Penguin Foundation sent out a public request the miniature jersey’s to aid in the survival of  Little penguins after an oil spill.

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Alfie’s nurses saw the request and suggested that he take part.

resizedimage350261-Knitted-jumper-lores_2
Image via Philip Island Penguin Foundation.

 

“The girls who used to work for me, they’ll tell you I’m a sucker. I can’t say no,” said Alfie.

“It’s a good way of getting along in life. You make friends all the time but you don’t make a fool of yourself either.”

Alfie Date: Nailing life.