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Beeston care home resident knits to keep premature babies warm
A resident in a Beeston care home has been busy putting her knitting skills to good use by creating items for premature babies at the Queen's Medical Centre(QMC).
Cindy, aged 75, started knitting for the baby unit at the QMC, after staff noticed she knitted regularly for her grandson and suggested that she send some of the items she was making.
Her daughter provides her wool, sending it to the care home and enabling Cindy to craft everything from bonding blankets and arm bands, to various sizes of hats in ‘traffic light’ colours for the intensive care unit.
These ‘traffic lights’ help nurses to identify a baby’s health condition based on the colours of the hats and blankets they are wearing – red being ‘very poorly’, yellow ‘poorly’ and green ‘ok and ready to come out of intensive care.’
Cindy started knitting at a young age, after learning from her mum. By 15, she’d taught herself how to knit using patterns and would often create items such as scarves and cardigans to sell at local fairs.
Cindy said: “I always enjoy knitting for my grandson and have done since the day he was born. It makes me happy knowing that these tiny gifts brought into the world have something to keep them warm while they stay in hospital.”
In a letter to Cindy, Ward Manager of the Neonatal Unit at the QMC, said: "We would like to thank you for the lovely knitting you donated to the Neonatal Unit at the QMC.
"The parents and staff always appreciate it when people take the time to send such lovely times for our babies."
Samukaliso Marozo, Home Manager at MHA Queenswood, said: “We’re so proud of Cindy for making these beautiful items. It’s fascinating to watch her working – you can clearly see how much she enjoys it.”