"Hopefully between us we can bring some practical help and hopefully a smile to faces following these difficult times."
Cheryl Brudenell
Teesside Lottery Winner Uses Lockdown to Help Elderly and Vulnerable
As the country is in lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, National Lottery winners have been rallying in an effort to bring relief to elderly and vulnerable people.
The band of winners, led by fellow winner Susan Crossland from Yorkshire, have been knitting around the clock for Age Concern, creating Twiddlemuffs and other items on their wishlist.
Joining the team who have rallied after social distancing and lockdown rules were implemented by the Government is Cheryl Brudenell from Stockton-on-Tees, who scooped £1M in 1997.
Picking up her knitting needles, Cheryl said, “I love knitting and now is the perfect time to do even more knitting during this lock-down and while we are confined to our homes.
“I have focused a lot of my efforts on knitting for premature babies but I am delighted to now be joining Susan in the latest campaign.
“Who knows how many we could get to between us – they are really fun items to knit and it is great as you are knitting to be able to think that the item is going to bring so much joy to the end recipient.
“I heard from other lottery winners about this project and feel now, more than ever, is the time for action and to help others in any way we can.”
Age Concern has agreed to distribute the items which have been knit by the lottery winners to hundreds of vulnerable and elderly as soon as the lockdown restrictions are lifted and it is safe to hand-out such items.
The focus of the latest knitting campaign has been around Twiddlemuffs which are used to both provide comfort and stimulate older minds.
Twiddlemuffs are double thickness hand muffs with bits and bobs attached inside and out, such as buttons, pompoms, textured and shiny objects. They are designed to provide a stimulation activity for restless hands and patients living with dementia.
Suzanne Carr, CEO, from Age Concern Central Lancashire, added, “This is a great example of a small deed that can go a long way, these will definitely bring lots of smiles to our dementia customers and particularly their carers at this difficult time.”
Cheryl is proud to be part of the Lotto Twiddlemuff group, commenting, “Hopefully between us we can bring some practical help and hopefully a smile to faces following these difficult times.”
The winners have also been knitting cannula covers for special care baby units across the country, together with colour-coded clothes for premature babies enabling staff members to instantly see the care they require according to the
colour of their clothing. These and other items will be handed over as soon as the charities are happy to receive them.
