The Nifty Fingers Craft Club was started in 2006 by Carole Jones and Irene Rees, who brought together a group of friends and neighbours to form a craft club at Foliot Fields, a sheltered housing scheme in Yardley.

Sadly, Carole passed away in 2008 and so Irene carried on running the club on her own. The group currently has seven full time members, as well as lots of volunteers. Each year, the group hold spring and Christmas fayres, with the proceeds being donated to charity.

Since January 2017, the group has been raising money for the Eden Suite, the specialist bereavement maternity suite at Heartlands Hospital. Irene said: “We first heard of the Eden Suite in January 2017 when our scheme manager Marie’s daughter, Jenny, and Haley’s daughter, Amy, both sadly lost their babies and were treated on the Eden Suite.

“We decided that the Eden Suite would be our charity, as the staff do a fantastic job for both parents and their families at such a difficult time.”

Thanks to the hard work of the Nifty Fingers Craft Club, the team have raised an incredible £2,500 for the Eden Suite. Irene said: “We have enjoyed raising the much needed funds for the Eden Suite and we have seen where the money goes.

“We came to the opening of the garden, which is beautiful, and is somewhere for the families to go if they wish. We would like to personally thank everyone who has helped us make this possible.”

Marie Jenkins is the Scheme Manager of Foliot Fields, and her daughter Jenny sadly lost her baby, Liam, in August 2016. Marie said: “When my daughter lost her baby Liam we were all devastated, but the amazing staff at the Eden Suite were fantastic and supportive to the whole family.

“When I returned to work, all of the residents were asking how Jenny was, and they stepped in and said that they wanted the Eden Suite to be their chosen charity in memory of Liam, and of Amy’s baby, Freddie.

“They have raised so much already and are continuing to raise even more. Thank you to you all.”

Nicky Taylor, a Bereavement Midwife on the Eden Suite, said: “Huge thanks goes to the amazing team from Nifty Fingers for their incredible fundraising over the past two years. They have raised a fantastic amount of money which will really make a difference to the mothers and families who need the specialist support that we offer on the Eden Suite.

“With the money that is donated to the Suite, we purchase items that make life more comfortable for our families, and we have recently refurbished the quiet room on the unit, making it into a much bigger and more comfortable space for parents to use. None of this would have been possible without the kind support of fundraisers such as the Nifty Fingers Craft Club.”

The Craft Club are continuing their fundraising, and are also knitting items for premature babies on the neonatal unit. Sian Averill, Fundraising Manager at Heartlands Hospital Charity, said: “What a wonderful team the Nifty Fingers Craft Club is, thanks so much to everyone who has been involved in fundraising for the Eden Suite, you’ve all helped to make a huge difference to patients at the hospital.”

You can find out more about the Eden Suite here. 

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