Sewing group at Stamford Library stitching dozens of quilts and items for NHS patients

Colourful quilts for babies’ cots are being created by sewing enthusiasts who meet in their library.

The community group gets together as part of the ‘boomerang bags’ movement to tackle waste, meeting at Stamford Library in High Street on the first Tuesday of each month.

Numbering more than a dozen, members use donated off cuts of cotton fabric to stitch patchwork quilts that are donated to local hospitals.

They also make syringe bags, radiotherapy bags, and padded seat-belt covers for people who have had surgery such as a mastectomy.

Tish Davies, Diana Wrigley, Sue Walmsley and Claire Thorley coordinate the group locally, which is part of a worldwide boomerang bags movement that started in 2013 to reduce the number of plastic bags that are produced only to end up in landfill.

Tish said: “We try to provide everything necessary for people to come along and have a fun, sociable sewing session.

“It’s lovely. There’s no charge and we are always very grateful not only for extra people joining us but for donations of cotton fabric, wadding and sewing machines.”

They have several donated sewing machines, which they bring to the library each month.

“I’m sure there are people who have bought a sewing machine at some point and no longer use it,” Tish added. “We can bring these machines back into good use either as a donation or on permanent loan.”

Tish said the library has been very welcoming, allowing the group to set up their machines at tables among the shelves of books.

To find out more about the group, which meets on the first Tuesday of the month from 9.30am until midday, email Tish at boomerang95163@gmail.com.