Worthing knitters make hearts for hospitals alongside wider community flowers project

The Worthing-based charity Storm is bringing together members of its Make n Munch group while knitting and crocheting at home.

They started off by making flowers for a community project and have now been asked to make hearts for hospitals, to help connect end-of-life patients, the people caring for them and their families who cannot be with them.

The Rev Ginny Cassell, leader of Storm Church, said: “We were asked by a nurse at Worthing Hospital to knit pairs of small hearts and seal them in small, dated plastic bags.

“These were to be given to the nurses staying with patients dying of Covid-19 and unable to have any relatives with them. One heart is to be given to the dying patient, one to be sent to the grieving relatives.

“Within three days, we knitted and crocheted more than 50 pairs of hearts, plus some more, which were sent to the chaplain at St Richard’s Hospital to give to nurses who came into the chapel for support.

“We have now completed more than 300 hearts, with some going to St Richard’s, some to Worthing and some to the Royal Sussex in Brighton.”

Working in collaboration with Time for Worthing, Storm is hoping the flower making will build into a wider community project.

Mrs Cassell said: “Local knitters are beavering away at home, knitting and crocheting thousands of flowers. Knitting is something everyone can do in their own homes and people love to feel like they are contributing in some way to people’s wellbeing.

“From health care workers to residents of care homes, from over-70s to people self isolating at home, the knitting and crocheting continues. For some, it has been a lifeline, having something positive and creative to do.

“We are aiming towards a large community project in Worthing town centre and smaller projects in local areas. Already, we have groups joining us in Broadwater, Tarring and Findon Valley”

Online gatherings are being held on Thursdays at 2pm, using Zoom, so people can catch up over a cup of tea while knitting and crocheting.

If you would like to join the fun, email [email protected] for more information or find Storm on Facebook} for more photos and information.

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