Publish date: 23 December 2024
Community crafters play a big part in supporting the WHH Charity and go above and beyond to enhance the experience of patients.
Our dedicated crafters create thousands of pieces throughout the year, with regular donations of knitted, crocheted and sewn items arriving at the hospital each week. They are then distributed to wards and departments across the Trust for patients and families who are receiving care or going through a difficult time.
Here are just some of the ways our creative crafters have helped to make a difference this year:
Keeping tiny tots warm
Our team of crafters keep neonatal babies warm and cosy with small blankets, jackets, and hats with special adaptations for babies who need ventilator hats and PICC line covers.
For those welcoming their little one on the birth suite, each cot is provided with a baby pack. New arrivals are gifted with a jacket, hat and blanket that families can take home. New parents have expressed their gratitude and delight for the packs, with one lady using the hat she received at the birth of her first daughter at Warrington Hospital to take her second daughter home in.
Kindness hearts
Knitted kindness hearts are gifted to patients and their loved ones who are receiving end of life care. The hearts bring comfort at the most difficult of times, with one heart given to the patient and the other to the patient’s family.
Creating a homely feel
When patients are in hospital for surgery it can be difficult to feel at home in the clinical environment. Blankets that are donated are distributed across WHH’s surgical wards, making a huge difference to how patients whilst they are recovering.
One of the ward nurses said: “You have no idea how much impact these beautiful blankets make to the patients. They are a great source of comfort at what can be challenging and anxious times.”
Calming spaces for patients with dementia
The Forget Me Not Unit cares for some of our most vulnerable patients, and coming into hospital can be a frightening experience.
Thanks to our crafters, nurses are able to personalise beds for patients with blankets, helping to provide familiarity for patients and an item of recognition.
Patients and their families have fed back how wonderful it is to receive the items, with one lady feeling ‘over the moon’ when she was told she could take hers home and couldn’t believe that she didn’t have to pay for it.
Our knitting and crochet team also make twiddle lap blankets, which are invaluable for calming patients. Twiddle blankets are designed to provide relaxation or stimulation and can help to ease anxiety by providing a comforting sensory experience.
Alongside regular donations, our crafters also love to take on a challenge!
Two of the most notable projects have been crafting items for the Butterfly Suite and bereaved parents.
The Butterfly Suite offers a space for families who have lost their baby. Our clever crafters have created special patterns for sleeping nests and rainbow blankets, providing comfort to families utilising the space.
Grieving families also receive a pair of tiny bears, which have been lovingly crafted to help families feel closer after death. One bear stays in the sleeping nest with baby, and one is for parents and families to take home as a memorial keepsake and reminder they are not alone.
A recent project also saw our crafters create 150 pastel butterflies to support Baby Loss Awareness Week. The butterflies – the universal symbol for pregnancy and baby loss – were gifted to bereaved parents during the Wave of Light memorial service earlier this year.
Helen Higginson, Head of Fundraising, said: “Being able to link our passionate people who love crafting with the need of our Trust patients and their families truly means the world to me and I know it means the world to them. Thank you all for making a huge difference.”
WHH Charity is grateful to all our crafters who lovingly take the time to create one-of-a-kind pieces to help bring comfort and raise a smile.
If you or someone you know would like to make a donation to Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals Charity, please visit our Just Giving page: Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - JustGiving