In fact, she almost always has a pair of knitting needles in her hand and now she’s working them to help children in need.

She creates small teddy bears with facial features and gives them to the police, NSW Ambulance Service and crisis groups who pass them onto children who need something to comfort them. 

“I just started doing it and it catapulted from there,” she said.

“I enjoy that I knit the bears and I know a little child will get them. I knit them with love because these little children need love.”

The 92-year-old has refined her production line to ensure she makes as many bears as possible.

“I normally knit a lot and then I spend a day stitching and another day stuffing and then I do the embroidery on the eyes, nose and mouth,” she said.

“I choose one colour for the boots and another for the pants and another for the skirt, and then I choose a natural colour for the face.”

Mrs Smith knitted baby’s clothes for many years before she dabbled in the teddy bears.

She specialised in jackets, bonnet and booties. 

When a stroke made her less mobile she decided to knit the bears to make a difference and keep her mind alert and active.

She often thinks about the children who will receive the bears while she makes them.

“I wonder whether it will be a little boy or a little girl who will be given the bear and I wonder what their name will be, although their name doesn’t matter,” she said. 

“I’ve always had a pair of knitting needles in my hand, it’s just part of me.

“It keeps me busy and it makes me feel good.

“I remember when I learnt - I was 10-years-old and I did a few stitches and I loved it.”

Mrs Smith said staying as active as possible was one of the keys to a long life. 

“You can’t be sitting idle with idle hands, you’ve got to be doing something,” she said. “I love doing it, and it’s good for my mind too.”