The oldest man in Australia spent most of his days last year knitting jumpers for injured penguins it has been revealed this week.
Alfred Date, who is 109 years of age, told Nine News that he finds it difficult to say ‘no’ to people if they ask him for a favour.
As a result, Alfred, or Alfie as he is better known, spent his time knitting tiny clothes for little penguins to help them survive after an oil spill in 2013.
The keen knitter, who lives in a retirement home in New South Wales, was asked by two nurses to get involved in the project.
“I think I’d been in here about 12 hours, might have been 13,” he explained. “The two girls [nurses] come in to me and say, ‘We believe you can knit’.”
Donations of jumpers for the little penguins flooded in from all over the world following an international appeal.
Members of the public were struck by the story of the little penguins – a species that can only be found in Australia and New Zealand.
Oil spills affect penguins by making their feathers stick together so that water gets in and the little penguins get cold.
The Victoria’s Phillip Island Penguin Foundation has thanked people for their kind donations of knitted jumpers and added that they currently do not need any more donations.
Now, Alfie is kept busy knitting hats and scarves for his friends and family.
And the secret to a long life? Alfie says it’s simply “waking up every morning.”
