Appeal for knitted hearts to connect patients with loved ones

Appeal for knitted hearts to connect patients with loved ones

Nifty knitters are being called upon by North-east organisations to help connect hospital patients with their families while visiting restrictions are in place.

NHS Grampian, Friends of Roxburghe House and Friends of ANCHOR are working together to help bridge the physical gap between patients in hospital and their loved ones at home.

The health board and charities are calling on people with knitting and crochet skills to create pairs of hearts that will bring comfort to those who cannot see each other.

Jinette Mathieson, Macmillan Cancer Nurse Consultant and CNS Strategic Lead, said: “With the restrictions in place at hospitals throughout the country, now is a particularly difficult time to be apart from family and friends. Our hope is that these hand-held hearts will bring comfort to both patients and their loved ones throughout this period.”

The scheme will be rolled out across the NHS Grampian region, with the handmade keepsakes available to all patients, including Covid-19 patients, ANCHOR Unit patients and those in Roxburghe House. They will be accompanied by a card or poem, which will be funded by the NHS Grampian Endowment Fund, and will be safely distributed by nursing staff, having been stored in sealed bags for the recommended 72 hours.

Kirsten Will, development manager for Friends of ANCHOR, added: “The knitted heart appeal has been a success in other NHS hospitals and we’re pleased to be playing a small part in bringing that same comfort to patients in the North-east.These little hearts will fit right into the palm of your hand and they are something to be cherished and bring comfort and connection.”

Crafty types who would like to help are invited to knit or crochet their hearts using a specific pattern which can be requested directly from Friends of ANCHOR or Roxburghe House. Once complete, crafters will be asked to package their creation in a sealed bag, with a sticker stating the date the bag was sealed. These can then be posted directly to Friends of ANCHOR or Roxburghe House.

If you would like to support the appeal, please email Friends of ANCHOR at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mandy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..