Sometimes it's the simplest of ideas that capture the imagination. And, over the past few weeks, one relatively simple idea has caught the imagination of pupils, parents and even staff at the Model Primary School in Enniskillen.

The idea came from one of the school's teachers, Mrs McCormick, who saw an item on the 'Paul O'Grady Show' over the Easter break about how many new born babies in South Africa die in the first week of life because of the cold.

The show then carried an appeal by 'Save the Children' for people to knit little woollen hats for the babies which might help keep the babies warm and, possibly, save their young lives.

Mrs McCormick thought it would be a good idea to get the children in the school's 'craft club' knitting these little hats, and that they could send any hats made to 'Save the Children'.

However, so popular has this been with the pupils they have over 200 little hats in all sorts of colours already made and the teacher believes the school may knit another 200 before they're done.

Mrs McCormick explains that each day, over lunchtime, the school has a craft and computer club which involves children from primaries 4 - 7.

Some of the girls had started to knit and so Mrs McCormick thought she would teach them how to knit the little hats.

The teacher explains that the TV show asked people to make the hats as colourful as possible, and not to use white. The reason behind this is, according to their tradition, little babies who die are buried wearing little white caps.

'The Primary 4 children were really keen, and once the kids got the hang of it they started taking patterns home with them and it went from there with parents, teachers and other staff at the school all getting involved in knitting the little hats." explains Mrs McCormick.

The teachers at the Model Primary are amazed at how the children have taken to the idea of knitting the little hats and are amazed how good they have got at knitting in such a short space of time.

Mrs McCormick explains every class has a day they come to the craft club, and the crafts the children get involved in can be anything from sewing to working with clay, and from art to knitting.

She explains that most children have their lunch and then come down to the club for a while with many children coming two or three times a week to the craft club.

Other members of staff at the school have got involved. 'Even the parents are engrossed in this project" says the teacher, and because so many have got involved this is how so many little hats have already been made.

Once the hats are complete they are packed into boxes and sent to 'Save the Children' who will ship them out to the families in Africa.

Apart from the little hats Mrs McCormick explains that a lot of the pupils at the school, including some boys, have learned how to 'strip knit' and have been knitting pumpkins, apples, wee animals and snakes - which the kids love.

"We even tied it in the knitting with Healthy Eating Week getting the kids to knit healthy food including knitting sandwiches."