More babies staying warm with project

A Bury St Edmunds-based knitting project making items for premature babies is now helping more hospitals.

The Warm Baby Project, founded by Sheelagh Keats and Olivia Cundell, was started after personal experience.

Sheelagh said: “My grandson was born in West Suffolk Hospital on Christmas Day 2015, then was moved to Addenbrooke’s. Both hospitals gave him tiny hats, cardigans and blankets.

“I think the little hats and blankets mean so much to people when their babies are connected to wires and tubes, it just takes the clinical touch from the experience and was a huge comfort to us as a family.”

Olivia set up the project’s Facebook and JustGiving pages for wool donations in April 2018 and they now have around 80 knitters, one even sending items from Holland.

Sheelagh said: “It is lovely so many people are sending beautiful items to us, it makes us feel extremely proud.”

Originally just West Suffolk and Addenbroke’s hospitals received the items but now they supply 18 hospitals, 12 in East Anglia and the others in Oldham, Middlesbrough, Leicester, Derby and two in London.

Sheelagh said that East Anglian Logistics now deliver the parcels free of charge, which helps the project, as they cost £2.95 to send out.

The project has also started to make new parent packs, including a blanket, two cardigans, two hats and a message from the group, which are going very well.

Sheelagh said: We will continue to grow and if there is a hospital where we can be of use, we will help.”

To make donations to the Warm Baby Project, go to their Facebook page or to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/warmbabyproject2018?utm_term=Mb5WryzRW