Brighter Futures Blanketeers

We are asking keen knitters to lovingly make blankets for our end of life patients at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  Blankets will be provided to our patients in the last few days of their life to make the hospital setting feel more homely.

If you are interested in supporting this initiative we are able to accept complete blankets or knitted/crocheted squares ready to be stitched.  If you are on Facebook then please join our group: Brighter Futures Blanketeers | Facebook

Blanket Guidance:

• Blankets need to be 5ft. x 4ft. or 120cm x 150cm which is big enough to cover an adult up to their chest.
• Knitted or crocheted squares need to be 6 inches or 15cms with the wool tail sewn in.  Here’s a link to a simple guide on the square you could create.
• If you knit or crochet a full blanket then the squares can be any size as long as the completed blanket is the size above.
• All blankets should have a minimum of one butterfly on them to link into our End of Life and Brighter Futures theme but don’t worry if you are unable to do this.
• All blankets need to be gently washed and dried prior to being delivered to the Volunteer Hub at the Brunel Treatment Centre Reception at Great Western Hospital between 10am – 4pm, Monday  – Friday.
• Please ensure that you have clean hands.
• Please do not knit/ crochet if you have open wounds.
• Please do not knit/ crochet if you are vomiting and/or have diarrhea
• Please do not use wool that contains glitter.
• All blankets will be quality checked by GWH End of Life Hospital Volunteers.  This will involve ensuring the blankets are clean, the right size, there are no hazards such as pins. If the blankets aren’t suitable for End of Life patients, they will be repurposed within the hospital.

Everyone who is placed on the last days of life pathway is offered a blanket. If the patient is unable to decide then the family are asked on their behalf. We would always get permission, unless there is no family in which case the clinical staff will use their own judgment.

We estimate that Great Western Hospital will use over 500 blankets each year.

We would like to thank everyone who is willing to knit or crochet a blanket for us. If this initiative proves hugely popular and we receive more blankets than required, Brighter Futures will label, bag and sell any extra blankets and the income will be banked to our End of Life Fund.

If you have any further questions then please contact us .