Wisbech care home creates incredible yarn bomb to say thanks to local community

It started as a ‘madcap’ idea by a care home’s activities co-ordinator and ended in over 2,000 knitted items being sent in from across the country.

Now the railings outside Lyncroft Care Home in Clarkson Avenue, Wisbech, is a riot of colour and fun after staff and residents yarn bombed the fence using the donated items.

Sarah Perkins, the home’s activities co-ordinator, came up with, what she describes as the madcap idea, to yarn bomb the fence ouside Lyncrocft about five months ago and put an appeal on various Facebook pages asking for people to send in items.

She said: “The posts had over 8,000 views and loads of shares and it went on from there. People started to send in knitted and crocheted items from all over the country.

“They would arrive in parcels with letters and all the residents would get involved in opening them and enjoying reading the letters. It has been an absolutely amazing experience for us all.”

With so many items arriving in the post, and also staff and residents getting stuck in to knit and crochet bits too, there was one massive job that was needed to be done – and that was to sew them altogether.

The task fell to Sarah and resident Doreen Jimson, 95, who spent hours putting the various items which included everything from toy dogs, to an octopus, poms poms, squares, rainbows, flowers, bunting and an array of different shapes, together.

Sarah said: “I secretly hoped we might get enough to cover the whole fence – it is pretty long possibly 70ft or more – but I never expected it to happen, but it has been absolutely amazing.

Not only did we get enough but had some left over which we used to yarn bomb our stag statue in the garden. It has been so incredible to receive items from places like the New Forest, Carlisle, Newcastle, Chester and Manchester, and the residents have loved every minute too.”

The yarn bomb, which took three hours for staff with the help of resident Barbara Cousin, 93, to put along the fence this morning (Wednesday), was all part of the home’s celebrations not only to mark the 40th anniversary of owners’ Country Care, but also to say thank-you to the wider Wisbech community for its support, especially in more recent times during and since the pandemic.

As well as the yarn bombing, the home hosted an afternoon garden party for residents, staff, families and guests, who included Wisbech mayor Peter Human and his mayoress Janet Tanfield and also the chair of Fenland District Council Nick Meekins.

There was a barbecue and everyone was treated to a magic performance by magician Trish Layton, a member of the Magic Circle, and also live music from her husband Paul Layton, a member of the New Seekers, who had the hit ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing’.

And top of all that there was a celebratory cake to mark the occasion, created by the home’s chef.

Sarah said: “It has been a fantastic day and I think everyone has really enjoyed it, we hope people enjoy seeing our yarn bomb, because it really is spectacular, and is something special to say thank-you for all the support we have had from the local community.”