Emma shares this latest news from the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. Ed
Earl Mountbatten Hospice’s ‘Knit and Natter’ group is fast becoming natter only, as the keen crafters are hampered by a shortage of wool to use for their community projects.
Every Thursday morning, the Chelsea Garden room in the John Cheverton Centre is taken over by the group who come armed with their knitting needles at the ready. The group is made up of volunteers and patients and has proved to be a valuable social asset to the hospice.
Twiddle muffs and blankets
For several years, they have come together to not only support each other, but to support others by making ‘twiddle muffs’ and ‘twiddle blankets’ for people living with dementia across the Island. The twiddle muffs are a knitted hand muff that can be adorned with oddments of yarn, ribbon, trimmings, buttons, beads etc. for embellishment to create stimulation for restless hands.
They have also been making blankets and clothing for small babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Mary’s Hospital and the charity “Friends of Buburi”, who support a Community Health clinic in Kenya
Appeal for wool
However, a shortage of wool is thwarting their efforts to support others in our community and beyond. Volunteer Jenny Snook, from Newport, is among those who enjoy the group:
“Today, I’m just having a cup of tea and a natter, because we are very short of wool! We are hoping that people will be able to help. If you have any spare coloured wool, preferably not white, we would be very grateful and it will be put to a good use.”
Your donations
Any donations of wool can be dropped off at either the main Earl Mountbatten Hospice reception or our John Cheverton Centre reception.
Anyone is welcome to join the Knit and Natter group, which meets between 10am and midday in the John Cheverton Centre.
Image: Giles Turnbull under CC BY 2.0
