Stamford Boomerang sewing group hands over donations to hospitals

Members of a sewing group have handed over their handiwork to help hospital patients.

On the first Tuesday morning of each month, the Boomerang Bags group - named after a movement that encourages the making of reusable shopping bags from recycled materials - meets at Stamford Library.

With sewing machines out, and surrounded by donated cotton material and wadding, they make quilts, seat belt covers, bags and feeding bibs that can be used by patients in the area’s hospitals and at home.

Group member Tish Davies explained that their aim is to provide items that help make patients more comfortable, including colourful quilts for children and for adults with dementia, who are comforted by familiar and personalised surroundings.

Seatbelt covers and cushions are also made for women who have just undergone mastectomy operations, while the feeding bibs, made from workwear tabards decorated with patterned fabric, provide a more dignified option for people who find eating and swallowing difficult.

At the May meeting of the group a large batch of items were presented to Ann Brown and Rosemary Johnson from the Diana Children’s Community Service, and to Claire Lucia-Wright from Stamford and Peterborough hospitals.

Donations of wadding and cotton fabric, including duvet covers, pillow cases and clothing, can be placed in a box in St John’s Church, just off Red Lion Square in Stamford.

Alternatively, people can bring donations along to the group between 9.30am and midday on the first Tuesday of the month at Stamford Library.