Mercy Place Villa Maria Seniors Busy Knitting for Babies

Dozens of baby blankets are finding their way to newborn and premature babies at King Edward Hospital, thanks to the talent and time of residents in the knitting club at Mercy Place Villa Maria, and volunteers at St Swithuns Church in Lesmurdie.

The gifted seniors, who are all in their 80s and 90s, are meeting weekly to handcraft the blankets for tiny tots, while at the same time teaching staff at the Lesmurdie-based not-for-profit aged care provider the traditional handicraft.

Residents Peggy West, Wilma Dougherty, Margaret Trus and Margaret Jones are also teaching staff at the not-for-profit aged care provider the traditional handicraft which has had a resurgence in recent times.

Villa Maria Service Manager, John Herbert, said the residents concerned were both talented and caring, and the partnership with the volunteers at the church was proving a hit.

“This really is a fantastic initiative, not just for the babies who will benefit, but also for our residents, who are really enjoying sharing their incredible talent for knitting with our Mercy Health staff,” Mr Herbert said.

“So many of our residents have been keen to join the club and take part in the creative process of making the beautiful blankets, it’s certainly very rewarding for them and we can see that by contributing to a great initiative, their own lives are also being enriched.

“The initiative is turning into a real community affair too, with volunteers at the church finishing off the blankets, and helping to get them to the hospital.”

So far more than a dozen blankets have been donated to King Edward Hospital.

Find out more about Mercy Health.