Knitting a special connection
A ladies knitting group, funded through Telford & Wrekin Council, has handmade a hundred kindness hearts to bring comfort to patients receiving end of life care and their families.
The hearts are made in pairs with one being gifted to the patient, which will stay with them even after they have passed away, and the other matching heart given to their loved one.
Staff from the palliative and end of life care team, at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, were presented with the brightly coloured kindness hearts by the Kushdil ladies knitting group at the Sikh Gurdwara Sahib, in Hadley.
Debbie Snooke, a SWAN end of life specialist care nurse at the Trust, said kindness hearts were first gifted during the pandemic to both the patient and their relative and the feedback was that this provided some comfort during difficult times.
She said: “We continue to receive positive feedback about the difference the hearts have made to families. One lady said she put it under her pillow every night to feel close to her husband. It is that connection between the patient and their loved one that is so special.
“We now gift the extended family a kindness heart, this provides comfort for them at that point and in the future. One family chose to tuck the kindness heart into their grandchild’s teddy bear. The grandparent told us it was a beautiful connection between the baby and her grandfather who was receiving end of life care.
“On behalf of our Trust, I would like to say a big thank you to the Kushdil ladies, they should be really proud. We are so grateful for the donation and the lovely welcome we received from the group.”
Having launched a year ago, with funding from the Council’s Safer and Stronger Communities programme, the knitting group has been going from strength to strength. As well as being an important social lifeline, the women take great pride in knitting for local good causes. Last winter they knitted woollen hats, scarves and gloves for Telford Crisis Support.
Councillor Kelly Middleton, (Lab) Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthier, Safer & Stronger Communities and Partnerships said:
“It’s great to see how the group is bringing ladies of all backgrounds together. They come here and enjoy making friends, sharing laughter and supporting each other.
“It’s lovely to see the ladies feel part of the wider community, too, through their support of worthy causes. The hearts they have knitted are beautiful.”
Knitter Jarmila Camier said: “Kushdil means happy hearts, so it feels really special to have made these and to pass on something that can make somebody happy even in the last moments of their life. I feel very privileged to be part of this.”
The ladies have also been knitting enthusiastically at home. As well as the hearts, they have also been making blankets for the dementia unit.
The Kushdil ladies always welcome new members. They meet on a Thursday, between 11am-1pm. For more information, contact Manjit Kaur on 07581 382849 or email info.kushdil@gmail.com
Pic: The Kushdil ladies
