Neonatal donation is ‘sew’ great!

Katrina Heavyside and Lucy Plumbley from The Vintage Sewing Bunny with staff from the Neonatal Ward.

A group of St Annes ladies have been ‘sew’ busy supporting a Fylde coast neonatal ward.

Around 50 patrons from The Vintage Sewing Bunny, on Snowdon Road, have been busy making a whole host of items to make life for baby and family on the ward at Blackpool Victoria Hospital a little bit brighter.

Owner of the business, Lucy Plumbley, said: “We run a variety of workshops and groups and if we come across a project that is doable, we will help, especially if it is for good causes.

“We ran some groups for around five weeks and had around 50 people involved in both sewing and knitting more than 200 items such as matching washbags, bunting, incubator covers and liners, bibs and bonding squares which carry mum’s scent. It’s great that we are able to make something of use to the ward.”

Some of the items will be used in admission bags that mums receive when they come such as the tiny dribble bibs, while the incubator covers will keep babies in subdued light to mimic the womb.

Katrina Heavyside has been a regular member of the group and was central to the entire project, liaising with the Neonatal Ward Manager to fine tune prototypes to ensure the finished products were perfect for the ward’s specifications.

She said: “It’s been great to get involved in this project for such a good cause – it gives us a purpose and you feel like you are contributing to something.”

Neonatal Ward Manager, Catherine Nash, said: “All these handmade items are absolutely gorgeous and will really add a sense of home for the families who use our unit.

“Lucy and her contributors have done an amazing job and we are very grateful that they have chosen to make all these items to hopefully make what can be a very stressful time, a little easier.”

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