Swansea knitting enthusiast manages over 600 volunteer knitters to produce hand-made items for hospital patients

A knitting enthusiast is bringing ‘comfort and joy’ to Swansea Bay patients of all ages after seeing a hobby develop into an operation which produces 400 knitted items every month.

Wendy Bartlett is the founder of Swansea Bay Community Whizzknits Volunteers, a self-funded group that create thousands of knitted and crocheted items which are donated to Swansea Bay UHB patients every year.

Pictured above: Wendy Bartlett (fourth from the right) joined by some of the Whizzknits Volunteers.

For the past thirty years, Wendy has owned her own business, a service provider and agency for healthcare professionals across the UK.

After having family members go through cancer and other serious health conditions, she found that her knitting hobby could be used as a way to say thank you.

Wendy said: “I love what I do and seeing the smiles it brings to people, all of us do.

“I started it as a thank you and thought this was a great way for other people to give back to the community.

“We then realised there was an actual need for the items we produce.”

She started Whizzknits with this ethos of giving, and the group has gone from strength to strength, now running like a small enterprise for free.

Wendy’s first big project in 2020 was a request for 1,500 knitted hearts for patients in the Intensive Therapy Unit in Morriston Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, she manages 612 volunteer knitters to create their own individual items for patients and other members of the community.

Last year, the Whizzknits produced more than 7,000 items.

Wendy added: “My invaluable and committed team of 14 dedicated volunteers work like Trojans to ensure requests are filled and delivered on time.

“It’s not just the knitting we do it for, our items have a value and producing them has created a warm, inviting space for people to come together.

“I found that some of our knitters hadn’t interacted with many people or found themselves isolated for some time due to bereavement or mobility issues.

“They have a huge amount to offer and together, they create a busy, active community with an abundance of knowledge, fun and enthusiasm.

“Some volunteers are knitting, others are inspecting items, gift wrapping, delivering and have created great friendships. They are very special, dedicated people.

“I sit back and see all the commitment and kindness from the people involved and think this is one of the proudest things I’ve ever done.”

The Whizzknits create and store their niche items in a rented space in Cockett, Swansea.

They create anywhere between 400 to 600 items a month to use as rewards for the children on the paediatric wards and assessment units across the health board.

The detail that goes into these unique items is intended to help make the children feel better about their hospital visit.

Handmade teddies are dressed in bandages alongside children so they can relate to their toys. The teddy becomes their friend and attends every hospital visit with them.

The toys are made completely from UK approved wool and endure inspections and destruction tests, to make sure they last on the wards and are fully washable.

Before reaching their destination, the toys are wrapped up in cellophane and decorated with a big bow for children to open like a present in hospital. The Whizzknits acknowledge that presentation is everything.

The Whizzknits creations don’t stop at toys and hearts - they have a huge portfolio of different items made on request for the community and charities.

They make hundreds of twiddle mats for mental health patients and dementia hubs, blankets to comfort those in end-of-life care and cannula covers for babies in hospital.

Educational toys, games for local schools and charities, plus items which support children with life-limiting conditions are created for other members of the community.

Wendy added: “We do it for patients, their families and members of the local community.

“The dedicated team quietly work away weekly and are the backbone of support that make things happen and I have nothing but admiration for them.”