The Fingal Haven Craft Group is more than a bunch of ladies that get together and stitch each week.
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It is a vibrant, social and giving group that works to make the lives of the elderly and ill a little brighter.
One way it has done that is to donate money to the Bill King Aged Care Facility to build a sensory garden.
Bill King is home to a number of aged residents living with dementia.
“A donation to enable the construction of the sensory garden at Bill King was one of our major undertakings during the past 12 months,” the group’s secretary, Judy Greenwood, said.
The garden was officially opened earlier in March.
It features bright flowers, plants with unusual textures, others with familiar smells such as rosemary, a comfortable wooden bench and a water feature.
Seeing how receptive residents of the high care Bill King facility have been to the garden, the craft group are now working on raising more money to extend it.
Proceeds from the group’s annual craft fair will be put towards the project.
The craft fair will be held between 8am and 1pm in the recreational hall of Fingal Haven retirement village on Saturday, April 22.
There will be a trash and treasure stall, cakes, crafts including embroidered towels, coat hangers table runners and quilts, children and babies knitted and crocheted clothes, plants, a raffles, Devonshire morning tea and a sausage sizzle.
Greta Clark, who has been a member of the craft group for 20 years, said it was “rewarding” to make improvements to the aged care facility.
“It’s a two-way street,” she said. “The residents benefit as much as we do.”
Mrs Greenwood added that making improvements to the facility may one day benefit them, and others in the community.
“Who knows if your or I won’t end up in here?” she said.
Fingal Haven Craft Group was founded in 1996. Members raise money and use their skills to help the facility.
In the past, money raised by the group has gone to buying electric operated beds, a lifter to aid in transferring residents into beds, a blood pressure machine and shower chairs.
Members have helped repair curtains, linen and clothing.