CREATIVE staff and patients at a Coventry’s specialist Cygnet Hospital have been making jewellery to beat the lockdown blues and raise funds for charity.
The cash, collected through the sale of the hand-made beaded bracelets and necklaces, will be used to buy hampers for local foodbanks and raise funds for NHS workers.
Kelly Anderson, an occupational therapy assistant at the Lansdowne Street hospital for women, said the venture originated from another fund-raising drive in February where patients sold their artwork and organised a raffle, raising nearly £120 for eating disorder charity BEAT.
Kelly said: “After the lockdown, we wanted to do something to make the days a bit brighter and the team voted to turn our jewellery-making sessions into a small fund-raising venture where all our profits will go to help local people in need.
“Getting patients involved in planning their own care is very important, and it has been really encouraging to see everyone working together to support local foodbanks and other NHS charities during the Covid-19 crisis.”
The jewellery is being sold on online marketplace ETSY and the team will be donating the first food hamper to the Trussell Trust.”
Kelly added they were lucky everyone was well during the Coronavirus quarantine but had needed to adapt some of the hospital’s usual activities.
“We are keeping everyone busy.
This week we are holding a bush tucker trial and task master games, and on Friday we are marking the 75th anniversary of VE Day with a special afternoon tea.”
Services at Cygnet Hospital Coventry include a highly specialised personality disorder service and a high dependency inpatient rehabilitation service.
The hospital also includes seven studio apartments at St Mary’s Court which offer service users the opportunity to safely test out independent living skills prior to moving back into the community.
There are currently 16 patients at the hospital which is open for new admissions, in accordance with government guidelines.
