Our business volunteering model is all about harnessing the skills of our business volunteer colleagues for the benefit of vulnerable groups across the city and county. No other group could be deemed as vulnerable as a premature baby.
In Leicestershire, across its three university hospitals, there are up to 12,000 live births per year – far higher than the national average. Of those births 5% are admitted to the 42 beds of the neonatal ward for assistance with breathing, congenital birth conditions and other, serious post-natal conditions.
As these babies are often born very early the families are completely caught unaware and will not have the necessary clothing to comfort their babies and keep them warm. Families will need a number of hats, cardigans and booties and treasure these items for years after. These tiny, knitted items are also a great comfort to parents who sadly lose their babies at birth or soon after – so there really is a lot of love and comfort derived from such a simple gesture.
Denise Bradshaw, our champion for Hinckley and Rugby Building Society has rallied her troops, readied the knitting needles and donated a number of bags full of hand knitted items – tiny enough for a “preemie” baby.
The items have been gifted to ADAPT Prembabies, who are a very small charity supporting families of very sick, premature babies in the city and county. Prembabies will distribute these items to families as they engage with them.
From a volunteering perspective , if your workforce have the “knitting gene” and would like to contribute to your employee volunteering this way please contact Amy , Head of Children and Young People