Older volunteers are being urged to come forward to share forgotten skills like knitting with domestic abuse victims living in Hestia refuges.

The Interconnect Project wants to bring together two generations, and men and women aged over 60 are being asked to give up two hours every Tuesday to teach children and young mothers refuges important skills which are getting forgotten, like knitting, cooking and gardening.

Volunteers will also be able to get involved helping children to learn and have fun by playing games, telling stories, and helping out with homework at the five safe houses in Hackney run by Hestia, which have a capacity for 33 women and 22 children.

Hestia provides domestic abuse services in 11 London boroughs, and has been funded by Comic Relief to run this project.

One of the key aims of the InterConnect project is to see if having male volunteers in the refuges – which are usually a female-only environment - makes a particular difference to male children.

Volunteers receive on-going support and supervision as well as a three-day induction Befriender Course.

To get involved call 020 8538 2967 or 07964 120 099, or email nuria.miguel@hestia.org.