Chipping Sodbury WI Sews Up Success

The Chipping Sodbury Women's Institute (WI) have 'wrapped up the win' for the Bluebird Care Grant this summer by knitting some excellent fidget blankets for our customers living with dementia.

In a fine display of needlework, the WI produced over 40 fidget blankets for the competition, which will now be put to good use entertaining our customers.

Keeping occupied and stimulated can improve the quality of life for anyone with dementia, as well as for those around them.  These new fidget blankets have proved to be great opportunities for fun and playfulness.  They also encourage independence, social inclusion, better communication and the expression of feelings.

After noticing the habits of some of our customers, one of our supervisors, Sam Brown, spent some of her holiday producing 30 of the blankets.  These went down so well with our customers that we thought there might be others out there willing to give it a go,.

Apart from providing some warmth, the WI's blankets are adorned with all sorts of interesting features and textures to awaken the senses, such as buttons, zips, bells, scrunchy bits, teddies and even pouches full of lavendar.  Certainly a winning combination if ever there was one!

Congratualtions to the WI and also special commendation to the Bristol Sewing School who were a close runner-up.