Quilts provide comfort for Shropshire children’s journey through fostering

Dedicated volunteers in Ludlow, Church Stretton and Whitchurch have been busy producing quilts for children in care across the county, to give them comfort for their journey through fostering.

It is part of a nationwide initiative by volunteer organisation, Project Linus UK.

Project Linus UK aim to provide a sense of security and comfort to disadvantaged children and teenagers through the provision of new home-made patchwork quilts and knitted/crocheted blankets, and give volunteers across the UK the opportunity to contribute to their local community.

Project Linus began in America in 1995 when Karen Loucks saw a newspaper article showing how much a comfort blanket had helped a child cancer victim and decided to organise blankets for her local children’s cancer unit and started spreading the word.

Since that time over four million blankets and quilts have been delivered worldwide. The organisation began in the UK in March 2000 as a result of a quilter’s desire to help children in need.

They now have a large network of volunteers across the UK who donate their time and skills to create beautiful blankets and quilts, including a project offshoot in Shropshire.

The quilts, which are all produced by volunteers, have been very popular with the children and the quilters have now branched out into producing weighted quilts, which can be used for children who have an Autistic Spectrum Disorder or other special needs.

Nick Bardsley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services and education, said: “This is a truly wonderful organisation, whose volunteers really do make a difference to the lives of the children they meet.

“Children and young people need to be fostered for a vast array of reasons, through no fault of their own, and the resulting upheaval can be upsetting. Simply knowing someone cares enough to give up their time to produce something unique for them can be of great comfort.”

For further information on Project Linus, or to volunteer, people can visit www.projectlinusuk.org.uk