Dunmurry crochet club celebrates 10th anniversary with hospital donation
Ten handmade gifts to help comfort hospital patients have marked the tenth anniversary of a Dunmurry crochet club founded by a local funeral director to help bring people together.
The Dunmurry Crochet Club was established by Terry Weir, Senior Funeral Director at James Brown & Sons Funeral Home, as part of a community outreach programme in 2016.
Since then, the group has become a regular fixture at the funeral home, meeting twice a month to crochet, learn new skills, share experiences and build lasting friendships over the past decade.
To mark the anniversary, members have donated 10 handmade 'twiddle muffs' to Meadowlands 2 at Musgrave Park Hospital, one for each year the club has been running.
The colourful knitted and crocheted muffs feature different textures and attachments designed to provide comfort and sensory stimulation for people living with dementia and other cognitive conditions.
Terry, who has worked at James Brown & Sons for 21 years, was joined by club member Helen Walsh to present the gifts to hospital staff.
Terry said: “When I first started the crochet club ten years ago, I hoped it would give local people somewhere welcoming to meet, make friends and enjoy a shared interest. I never imagined we'd still be going strong a decade later.
“It's been lovely to watch friendships develop over the years and to see how much the club means to its members.
"It has created friendships, offered support and made a positive difference to people.
"The fact that we're now making things to help other people in our community makes me especially proud.”
James Brown & Sons also helped celebrate the milestone by generously contributing towards a special anniversary dinner attended by 16 members, who reminisced about a decade of creativity, companionship and friendship.
Helen Walsh said: “Over the past ten years, the Crochet Club has become a really important part of our lives. We look forward to getting together, having a chat and sharing what we've been making.
“It's wonderful to celebrate ten years and know that our creations might bring comfort to hospital patients makes it even more special.”
Terry added: “I'm delighted James Brown & Sons has been able to provide a home for the club for all these years, and I hope we'll be celebrating many more anniversaries together.”