Residents and team members at Woolston House in Warrington have come together to provide comfort packages for local people experiencing homelessness. The packages include several practical items and knit and crocheted scarves handmade by people at the home.
Don’t Walk Past are a volunteer outreach group who provide support to homeless people in Manchester City Centre and the surrounding area every evening, Monday to Friday. The group relies solely on charitable donations, so Woolston House wanted to contribute in support of the local community this Christmas season, opting for toiletry packages as these items are less commonly donated.
A great deal of time and thought has gone into preparing the packages, which contain a range of practical items to help people experiencing homelessness in Manchester through the colder winter nights.
Residents and colleagues at Woolston House have carefully selected items that fit easily into coat pockets, products that will not leak, and essentials that can be used over an extended period, such as bars of soap, flannels, and socks.
The initiative was proposed after Woolston House’s Activities Coordinator, Tracey, donated to the charity. Her support for the group’s mission quickly extended across the home, encouraging several residents and colleagues to get involved. Jess, one of the residents at Woolston House, has been leading the project, supported by Tracey.
The enthusiasm also inspired one of the home’s Nurses, who is a keen knitter, to hold classes for everybody to learn how to knit and crochet, crafting homemade scarfs to add to the packages and help those experiencing periods of homelessness in Manchester to keep warm this winter.
Caroline, one of the residents who participated in the classes, commented: “Being able to get involved in the knitting classes and support Don’t Walk Past has been a great experience for me. I know how important these packages will be for homeless people in Manchester and I hope we’ve been able to make a difference for them.”
Tracey, Activities Coordinator at Woolston House, said: “Supporting our local community is really important to everyone at Woolston House, and this felt like a lovely way for us to come together, especially at this time of year.
“People experiencing homelessness often need practical essentials that are easy to carry and will last, so we put a lot of thought into what would be most helpful. Seeing residents and colleagues get involved – from choosing the items to knitting and crocheting scarves – has been so heart-warming, and we hope these packages bring some comfort to people over Christmas.”
Woolston House, part of Exemplar Health Care, supports adults living with complex needs arising from neurological and physical health conditions.
