Charnwood WIGS

During our August meeting, we welcomed Gary Farnfield, a community fundraiser for Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough. This year, the charity is celebrating their 25th Anniversary! It was moving to learn how the charity was founded by Gail and Harry Moore for their daughter, Laura. Rainbows provides care (through referrals) for children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses as well as support for their families. Their aim is to create memories to treasure for all families as they offer a range of activities based at the hospice: making use of their new multi-sensory room, swimming pool, vibrant craft room, outdoor areas and ‘Esmeralda’- their old-fashioned gypsy caravan. Families are able to stay with their children as the hospice contains purpose-built flats and a team of professionals provide 24-hour care. Although Loughborough based, Gary informed us that the charity covers the whole of the East-Midlands and is currently supporting 400 children and their families – amazing!
As a charity, Rainbows needs 6.2 million pounds of funding per year. Without the support of volunteers, fund-raisers and donations, they would only be able to stay open for 8 weeks of the year! This brought home to many of us, the importance of supporting our local charities – every little DOES help! To do our bit, at Charnwood WIGs, our lovely members knitted a kaleidoscope of flower broaches which will be sold in Rainbows charity shops – keep a look out for them! We also didn’t need to be asked twice to purchase a few handbags through the charity’s handbag amnesty! I hope you’ve been inspired to do you bit for this fabulous charity.
Our September gathering took us back in time where we came under the watchful eye of Matron and her three ‘trusted paupers’, Hannah, Mary and Sarah from The Workhouse in Southall, a National Trust property in Nottinghamshire. The workhouse was established in 1824 and pioneered the social reform movement across the country. People were categorised into two groups, the ‘deserving poor’ who were sick or old and the ‘undeserving’ who were able-bodied and lazy! It was a very entertaining and animated talk which led us into the lives of some of the people who stayed there, describing their ordeals, although it wasn’t all bad. The best story ended with Matron saying: ‘Carrots in a cake, it’ll never take on!’ Little did she know!
The National Trust acquired the property in 1997 and has just renovated ‘The Infirmary’ to illustrate comparisons between its use in 1871 and 1971. Did you know that the last patient left there in 1985? This is certainly a worthwhile place to visit and another good cause to support.
Fancy seeing what else we get up to at Charnwood WIGs? You’re welcome to come along to our meetings! We meet at 7:30pm at Beedles Lake Golf Club.
Thursday 28th November: Chocolate!
Beedles Lake Golf Club East Goscote LE7 3WQ£4 a guest/ visitor For more information please contact:Sharon Astill on 07849888752