Local communities come together to crochet blanket for organ donation patients at Hampshire Hospitals

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has received donations of crocheted blankets to support organ donation patients and their loved ones at hospitals in Basingstoke and Winchester.

These blankets, along with other knitted keepsakes, are given to patients whose loved ones have made the life-changing decision to donate their organs to save the lives of others. These items are then cherished by loved ones for years to come.

In just over two months, HHFT have already received over 35 handmade blankets and are continuing to see a positive response to their appeal

Of those blankets made, some have been crocheted by 103-year-old Maisie, who jumped at the chance to help others.

Maisie, from Basingstoke, has spent many days crocheting the blankets and is extremely proud that each one is providing comforting support to families, with one family commenting on how it provided another level of care and were grateful for the extra focus given to them.

Steve Erskine, chairman of HHFT and its Organ Donation Committee, says: “We are incredibly grateful that a number of community members have taken the time to crochet blankets for patients and families within our intensive care units. This is invaluable to the support that we can provide our patients and their loved ones, even extending beyond their time in our hospitals.

“We would like to thank everyone that has made and donated a blanket so far, it means so much.”

If you would like to help HHFT support its patients with knitted and crocheted donations, please visit the link here.