Truly Global

So far our blog has attracted visitors from 24 different countries spread out over five continents!

Delivery for The Royal Alex!

Our most recent package of 20 pillowcases was delivered yesterday morning - fingers crossed the kids liked our new designs! Thanks to your kind donations we've been using some especially nice fabric recently! As always we will let you know if we receive any feedback.

Ironed, wrapped, and ready to go

I had a dream I was eating a giant marshmallow...

... When I woke up my pillow was missing!

Here are our 10 most recent pillowcases. With a further 20 pillowcases completed, it is just about time for us to post another package to the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital once we wash and package them in the usual way.  

Scrap Owls

Today Mark has been working on 4 scrap owls in preparation for a visit from his family at the end of June. They would really like to take a few back to America with them, so we are working hard to make sure they will be ready! Photos soon...

About The Royal Alex

There are usually between 20 and 30 children on active treatment within the hospital's NHS Trust catchment area.

With 31 beds in total, the medical ward incorporates the Oncology Ward. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and cares for babies, children and young people up to the age of 19.

The hospital cares for children with a wide range of medical conditions, including cystic fibrosis, asthma, diabetes, oxygen dependency, infectious diseases, complex needs, overdoses, psychiatric issues such as self harming and chest infections such as pneumonia, respiratory and metabolic disorders.

The ward is supported by dedicated play specialists who will spend time with children and young people during their stay. To support their work, the ward has a dedicated play area with toys for children and a separate room for adolescents with play stations, pool table and TV. 

The ward has 19 single bedrooms with their own bathrooms, giving children and their parents or carers plenty of privacy and quiet. Two of these are designed for older children, with a semi-separated parents’ bedroom for more privacy. The other beds are in roomy four-bed bays with an en suite bathroom. These have plenty of central space for parents to sit and children to play with toys.

All bedrooms have specially designed low-level windows for children to look out of when they’re lying in bed. All beds have a television allowing children access to a range of channels. There are also pay phones by the side of the beds, so that parents and children can remain in contact with one another. 

For more information please visit the Royal Alex's website. 

The 1,2,3s and A,B,Cs of Making Pillowcases

Making pillowcases can be very fun and rewarding; however, it is important that you follow the directions properly - especially if you are planning on donating your pillowcases to a hospital. I have set out below some easy how-to steps for creating a beautiful, child friendly pilowcase which will brighten the walls of any drab looking hospital room.

Step One: Go with your partner or friends to somewhere that sells fabric. This can be a nice outing to go on as it is fun to pick out all of the different combinations of fabric that you want to use.

Step Two: Make tea/coffee to help motivate your husband to continue cutting up all of the fabric into pillowcase bodies and ends.

Step Three: Match up bodies with ends and give husband a back rub as he slaves over the sewing machine, stitching them together.

Step Four: Take photos of your newest creations and share them with others by posting them on your blog.

Step Five: After your husband has washed, ironed and packaged the pillowcases, place a couple of stamps on your gift box and pop it in the post.