The women of the Workington Branch presented 18 handmade sensory aprons, blankets and cushions to Jo Fell, CPN, on behalf of the ‘Community Mental Health Team, Memory and Wellbeing’ in September. The project was the idea of Nichola Duffy, a leader in Relief Society, who also works for the ‘Community Mental Health Team, Memory and Wellbeing’ and regularly witnesses first-hand the need for sensory stimulation for some adults with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. She saw a need and recognised a way that the women from the Church could serve.
Not all the women were ‘sewers’, but many skills and talents were required, including having an eye for detail and good ideas for designing activities for fingers and hands, as well as sewing on buttons—lots of buttons! The women felt a great sense of unity as they participated, and they ranged in age from 7 to 82 years. In the space of just 6 weeks (during the school summer break), the project was completed.
Jo Fell said she was, “delighted and overwhelmed by not only the quantity of objects, but the quality.” She said that she is looking forward to putting the items to good use to enrich the lives of adults in care and their families and thanked all who participated.