Shropshire Star

Knitters create quilts and blankets to help Shropshire children stay warm this winter

A team of keen quilt-makers across Shropshire have come together to provide blankets and quilts to children and keep them warm during the Christmas period.

Published
Gill Le Gras of Project Linus UK

Gill Le Gras, South Shropshire coordinator of the charity Project Linus, is leading the campaign to create quilts for children related to people who use Ludlow Food Bank.

It is a special project for Christmas which will aim to see the team produce a quilt for each of the 60 hampers going out from Ludlow Food Bank at Ludlow Baptist Church.

She said: "I have ladies madly making quilts across South Shropshire so that we can achieve the required number of quilts by December 1.

"All the ladies use their own time and money to make the quilts. Some ladies have had 'quilt-athlons' where they have gathered together in a group to make quilts in a day."

The quilts will be dropped off at the food bank on November 29 while 10 quilts will also go to residential children based at Overton Hall School, to keep them warm throughout the winter months.

"It’s lovely to think that your hobby and passion could make a difference to a child’s life, however small that difference may be. As a coordinator, I am privileged to meet many people who give their time and skills to support Project Linus," Gill said.

"I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated quilts and knitted blankets, especially the Ludlow quilters, the ladies from Farden, Pontesbury sew sisters, Bettwys-y-Crwyn Linus and ladies in Bishops Castle."

"I am always looking for knitters and quilters who can help, plus donations of suitable patchwork fabrics and threads or help with fundraising to purchase fabrics and wadding are always welcome, so please get in touch, my contact details are on the Project Linus website."

Gill said that she had managed to keep making and supplying quilts during lockdown and had donated quilts to foster children, collected quilts that had been dropped off by local women at The Wool Shop and has gone to people's houses to collect quilts too.

Project Linus UK is a voluntary organisation that provides quilts and knitted blankets for children in need, including children in hospital and hospices, or with families in difficulty.

The volunteer area co-ordinators deliver around 3,500 quilts and blankets to sick, disabled or disadvantaged children across the UK each month.

The charity aims to provide a sense of security and comfort to sick and traumatised babies, children and teenagers and have so far donated 498,137 quilts and blankets.

To find out more visit or to get involved visit projectlinusuk.org.uk.