When HammondCare resident Norma mentioned that she’d like to host a weekly knitting group, the team helped make it happen. The group has quickly become a welcoming space for residents, team members, and visiting family and friends.

For Mary, the wife of a resident, joining the knitting group came at just the right time. Looking for a relaxing holiday activity, Mary knitted a matinee jacket for a team member’s new baby; Norma then taught her a crochet edging and added the finishing touch—embroidered miniature roses.

Another regular visitor, Margaret, began knitting squares for popular charity Wrap with Love, and Norma helps stitch them into blankets before they’re delivered worldwide to people in need.

‘Following and sharing Norma’s passion has forged a community, with visiting loved ones invited to join in too,’ says Pastoral Care Coordinator Katherine.

‘Some residents are just happy to be in the room with her, to share in the company and conversation, to feel the connection.’

When we asked Norma why she loves the group so much, she replied, ‘It’s about being together. We sit around the table knitting and chatting, just like I’ve done all my life.

‘It feels like family.’