Two radio presenters at Icelandic radio station Bylgjan delivered a full container of traditional Icelandic woolen lopapeysa sweaters to senior citizens in Hull in England as a present from the Icelandic nation.
“It became clear while we were chatting with local senior citizens that the sweaters will come to good use because it has been freezing cold, the houses are poorly heated and the forecast is even colder for next week,” Bylgjan’s Heimir Karlsson told Morgunbladid.
Karlsson and his colleague Kolbrún Björnsdóttir brought the lopapeysas to Hull and were accompanied by around 30 media representatives; radio presenters, newspaper journalists, photographers and camera people. The BBC reported on the event this morning.
The lopapeysa initiative was started by father and son Njáll Hardarson and Gísli Njálsson, who encouraged enthusiastic Icelandic knitters to show compassion for British citizens in need in an effort to improve Iceland’s image in the UK.
“People are saying that this is the best thing that has happened to us since the collapse of the banking system,” Karlsson said laughing, adding that he had never suspected how much media attention the initiative would raise.
