Knitters needed to help babies

Keen knitters are being called on to make clothes for premature babies.

Southwell Minster Mothers’ Union is looking for volunteers to knit clothes for babies at the neo-natal units at Nottingham City Hospital and King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield.

Often, babies in the units are too small to fit into clothes from shops and need to be provided with specially-made clothing.

Secretary of the minster’s mothers’ union Mrs Gwen Bragg, of Appletree Close, said she had collected two large bundles of clothes but was looking for volunteers to knit more.

She said: “People have knitted little bonnets and little shawls and blankets. We have had a very good response but we are still collecting.

“It is something people can do while watching television and they are quite small and easy to complete.”

Mrs Bragg said she understood how difficult it was for mothers of premature babies to find clothes that fit because one of her sons was born weighing only 4lbs.

She said: “He was very tiny when he was born and I had a friend who said I wasn’t going to find any clothes to fit him so she offered to knit some.

“The knitted clothes are soft and keep the babies warm.”

Mrs Bragg said there were knitting patterns for people with a range of abilities.

She said: “Some of them are very easy but some have got patterns on them.

“Somebody asked if the babies would get their fingers caught in the patterned clothes but premature babies don’t tend to be moving around too much.”

Anyone wanting to help should contact Mrs Bragg on 01636 812527 for a pattern.

The scheme is also being run by other Mother’s Unions around the county.