Technicolour dressing gowns to keep elderly warm this winter

JOSEPH’S technicolour dressing gowns were knitted by care home residents in Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

Residents at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, on Randolph Street, created the gowns for elderly people to keep warm this winter in their own homes.

They were taking part in a Knit for Peace UK initiative, which encourages knitters to produce items for those in need.

The care home residents chose to make dressing gowns by knitting six by six inch squares and then attaching them together to create the finished piece.

The gowns take 114 squares to produce, as well as a knitted belt to match.

The residents described the finished gowns as “Joseph’s coat of many colours”, according to Hazelgrove Court Care Home manager Tina Temple.

She said: “It’s really important for us to continue to involve residents in activities that help the wider community.

“They all love to knit and were very impressed in the finished dressing gown.”

The home’s activities coordinator, Sharon Lewis, found out about Knit for Peace UK when she was looking for a community project to involve the residents in.

There are many keen knitters living at the home, so the residents were pleased to get involved with the initiative.

Resident Joyce Baxtrum said: “We’ve been doing this for weeks and I’m really proud of myself. The dressing gowns look great.

After trying on one of the gowns, fellow resident Joyce Tibbertt said: “It’s so warm. I don’t want to take it off.”

Sharon Lewis added: “It’s lovely to do something for the community and that will make a difference in someone’s life.”