Good evening everyone and welcome to 'SIBOL',
I have had a very busy day today delivering our 'Sunshine Blankets' to local Homes in my area of Birmingham and I am very pleased to tell you that I have now finished for this year.
The Blankets have all been accepted so well and the Staff and the Residents absolutely loved them. I would like to thank everyone who has supported 'SIBOL' this year for your kindness.
Some weeks ago I started getting the Blankets ready for the Homes, adding the Butterflies, Ribbons and Gift Cards which I think really finishes them off. I always like delivering the Blankets because it's the final part of the story if you like. Hundreds of Squares have come in to my Home once again this year and indeed Blankets that you have made at Home and sent in to me. I am terribly grateful to everyone.
I would never have thought back in January 2010 when I first announced this project in Memory of my Grandmother that we would have made so many 'Sunshine Blankets'. My idea at first was to make 6 we have now made 328!
They do look lovely all ready for the off.
I am very grateful to Anne for coming with me today, we certainly had a busy time. I arrived at Anne's around 9.30 am and after a quick hello to her dear Hubby we set off.
Our first visit was to 'Rosefields' in Birmingham. 'Rosefields' is sheltered accomodation and there we met the Lady who runs the accommodation 'Jacque'. We were offered cups of tea and Anne and myself set the Blankets out on the table. What a great selection of Blankets! They looked so lovely all tied up with ribbons.
Here I am!
Jacque and Anne
I introduced Anne and myself to the Residents and then I told them about our 'SIBOL' Group. I explained to them that 'SIBOL' was not an ordinary Knitting Group which met in a Church Hall where you sat around drinking cups of tea and chatting. I explained to them that our Group was 'internet-based' and that I had members all around the World. Also that we shared the love of Knitting and Crocheting and that throughout the year we worked hard making 'Sunshine Blankets' for the Elderly. I also told them about our Charity Blankets. They were very interested in our Group and afterwards Anne and myself gave the Blankets out.
I was allowed some great photos and I am sure you would all like to see them. Everyone wanted us to thank you for the beautiful Blankets, they really could not get over how kind you all were. They couldn't believe that the Squares and indeed Blankets travelled hundreds of miles to get to them. Also that in this day and age there were so many kind people around!
This Gentleman absolutely loved his Blanket, particularly because it had Flowers on! He kept plants on his window sill.
I told this Lady that her Blanket was given to Tinka in Belgium from her friend Vera and that she wanted to donate it to our project. She absolutely loved the Blanket.
It was also very nice to know that the Gentleman in the Lounge appreciated 'his' Blanket so much too!
After spending quite a bit of time with the Staff and Residents and thanking them we moved on to 'Selly Wood House Nursing Home'. These Homes are all set on the Cadbury Estate in Bournville, Birmingham and are all very near to each other. Of course very near to where the Chocolate is made.
Here we met the Activities Co-Ordinator 'Eve'. Eve was very happy indeed to accept our beautiful Blankets. She loved them and said that she would be keeping these Blankets and giving them out on Christmas Day. Some of the Residents do not have any visitors and she thought it would be a lovely thing to do for them.
Some Residents in Homes particularly feel the cold due to medication they are on and I am sure these Blankets will give a great deal of comfort to them.
We thanked Eve for accepting our Blankets and I went back to Anne's where we had a cup of tea. Shortly after I headed back home and rang up Cotteridge House in Kings Norton. Cotteridge House has 11 Residents.
Once again the Blankets look really pretty all ready for the off.
I arrived at Cotteridge House where I met the Manager 'Mrs. Walker'. Once again she loved our Blankets so much and said that she would be keeping them for Christmas Day. Quite a few people in her Home do not have visitors and on Christmas Day they give presents out to the Residents in the morning and at lunchtime and our Blankets will be given to them. How lovely! It's so nice to know that someone has been thinking of them maybe living thousands of miles away. I explained there were Blankets from Belgium, Spain and some of the Blankets had Squares from other places around the World. The Staff wanted me to thank everyone for these wonderful Blankets and just wanted you to know that they were appreciated. They have 11 Residents and a Blanket for each of them!
Afterwards I popped back to St. Michaels in Olton as they needed another of our Blankets. I took them 'Flower Burst' made by Tinka.
So I've had a very pleasant day with Anne meeting the Residents and Staff who care for them.
So on Christmas morning when you are all sitting with your family opening presents, spare a thought for
these Residents. Can you imagine what they are all going to talk about? Can you imagine their faces when they open up their Gifts. I have been told on numerous occasions how our Blankets are talking points and it is you I have to thank. So a Big Thank you from me and everyone I met today. I really enjoyed going to the Homes with Anne. Thank you Anne for coming with me.
I do want to continue making our 'Sunshine Blankets' in the New Year that's if everyone is happy to do so.
I look forward to 'meeting and greeting' your Squares and Blankets and hopefully we can have another successful year!
May I remind you that we still have our 'Think Pink' (3) for Sale. I am accepting offers over £100.00. The person who bids the highest will receive this wonderful Blanket. It is raising money for Breast Cancer Care here in the UK. The closing date is 30th November at mid-night, so please email me Sue on
sueatpigsty@talktalk.net
Thanks for visiting 'SIBOL' today!
x Sue x
London 
'Crafty' November 2013.
