Balderton great-great-grandmother to spend her birthday knitting blankets for wheelchair users
A great-great-grandmother will be spending her birthday in lockdown knitting blankets for wheelchair users.
Eileen Brown, who will be 99 on Tuesday, has been knitting lap blankets for around 13 years, and has made well over 100 in total.
She and daughter-in-law, Avril Brown, of Balderton, who she lives with, thought their needles could would come in handy during the coronavirus crisis, and began knitting blankets for care homes in Newark.
“She is always knitting,” said Avril. “She knits the squares, I put them together and we work out the colours and how they are going to lay.
“We have been making blankets for people in wheelchairs with a custom size ensuring it’s not too big.
“When we end up with some odd squares, we also put them together and send them to dog homes.”
Eileen was a housewife. Before she got married she worked in an aircraft factory working on the wings.
Avril said: “Dad (George Brown) died ten years ago and they were married for 68 years.
“She is still very sprightly for her age as she does word searches, is a chronic reader and often goes for walks around the garden — especially in this weather.
“Although we care for her, she always makes her own bed and changes it herself. It is just the cooking and cleaning that I do.”
Due to lockdown, Avril said Eileen had been missing the family like crazy and added: “Her grandchildren have to come up to our window and pretend to have a cuddle.
“Because she has read all of her books and the libraries are closed, she wants people to send her more to keep her entertained.
“Happy Birthday mum, thanks for always being there when you are needed. Love from all the Browns, including your two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.”
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