Bolton: Care home residents raise money for Versus Arthritis

Residents and staff at Lever Edge Care Home, on Lever Edge Lane, Great Lever, set to work knitting the little fluffy birds in support of Versus Arthritis.

Armed with their knitting needles, the group produced dozens of owls in various colours for the charity’s knitting challenge, before selling them to visitors and staff at the care home.

Lever Edge raised £105 – the most of all 36 Hill Care Group homes across the north, after the care home operator challenged the homes to raise as much as possible for Versus Arthritis.

In total the group raised £232.50.

After winning the group-wide competition, Lever Edge Care Home received £50 for their residents’ fund, which goes towards activities and outings for the residents.

Resident Sarah Hewitt, 77, who took part in the challenge, said: “I really enjoyed it.

“It took me back to when I used to knit a long time ago.

“I used to knit things like cardigans and woolly hats.

“Feeling the knitting needles in my hands brought back good memories.”

Doreen Aspinall, 81, added: “I’ve always enjoyed knitting and raising money for charity gives me the opportunity to do it again.

“I’m a little out of practice but the staff helped when needed.”

After winning the group-wide competition, Lever Edge Care Home received £50 for their residents’ fund, which goes towards activities and outings for the residents.

Lisa Martin, home manager at Lever Edge Care Home, said: “The team of residents and staff did an amazing job knitting all the little owls – which were very popular among the visitors.

“We’re so proud of the amount raised for Versus Arthritis and delighted to win the Hill Care competition.

“All the hours of hard work paid off.”

A spokesperson for Versus Arthritis said: “There are over 10m people living with arthritis. That’s one in six, with over half of those living in pain every single day.

“The impact is huge as the condition slowly intrudes on everyday life – affecting the ability to work, care for a family, to move free from pain and to live independently. “Yet arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing or shrugged off as ‘just a bit of arthritis’.

“Funds raised from events such as the knitting challenge go towards helping those with arthritis through our research as well as helping people directly with our helpline and support groups.

“We won’t rest until everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support, they need to live the life they choose with real hope of a cure in the future.

“Your donations make it happen.”