Hickathrift House care home in Marshland St James hosts community knit and natter project for Marie Curie
Residents and their loved ones at a Fenland care home have created a display that poet Wordsworth would be proud of – a host of golden daffodils to mark a special day.
Hickathrift House care home, in Marshland St James, invited residents, their loved ones, staff, locals and the wider community to join them to create the daffodil display for Marie Curie’s Day of reflection.
Marie Curie is leading the nation in a UK-wide Day of Reflection on March 9. The UK’s leading end of life charity is asking individuals and communities to remember the people who died, whatever the cause, and to show support for everyone who was bereaved.
Volunteers had been knitting dozens and dozens of daffodils in around six weeks to fill two dark blue dresses that had been donated as part of the home’s knit and natter club.
There were various shapes, textures and colours of yellow, orange and white, demonstrating the number of people involved in making this a unique piece, raising awareness of those on end-of-life care.
Julie Price, a carer at Hickathrift and project lead said: “All the volunteers felt proud of their work and the residents and visitors’ reaction had been heart-warming when they saw the displays. It’s even better than I thought was possible. I feel privileged to have helped to create this.”
Paula Melerski, the home’s general manager added: “We started this club for elderly people in the community who might want some time outside of the home and to make some new friends and it’s gone from strength to strength, creating meaningful projects together. We feel proud of the efforts that have gone into this display.
“It has been really lovely to see different generations getting involved, from a 90-year-old resident down to our 13-year-old Duke of Edinburgh volunteer, as well as all the family and friends of residents at Hickathrift, the staff and volunteers.”
The monthly knit and natter club at Hickathrift House meets on the third Friday of the month from 2.30pm. Their next project is making poppies for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Everyone is welcome to join the club for free.
