A remarkable Ilkley resident has achieved an inspiring milestone by crocheting her 100th 'wellbeing blanket' for newborn babies at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Eliz Sandalls, who is registered blind, has dedicated countless hours to this intricate craft, creating warm and comforting items for infants in the hospital's care.
A Heartfelt Gesture of Gratitude
To celebrate this special achievement, midwives Sophie Wainman and Katie Hurley paid a personal visit to Eliz at Abbeydale Residential Care Home. The staff spent over an hour chatting with Eliz and presented her with a generous hamper of treats as a token of their deep appreciation for her ongoing contributions.
Midwives Praise Exceptional Craftsmanship
Sophie Wainman expressed her admiration, stating: "Every time we receive a donation of crocheted blankets from Eliz, we are astonished at the craftsmanship. We love them because they are especially warm and snuggly for our babies." She added that the blankets are of outstanding quality, with Eliz providing all the wool herself. Each blanket is gift-wrapped in individual bags, bringing joy to mothers on the maternity wards and brightening the babies' cots as well as the hospital environment.
"It was lovely to meet Eliz in person," Sophie continued. "She was surprised and delighted when we popped in with the hamper, and we stayed for well over an hour chatting and learning more about her and why she does this for our babies."
Eliz's Personal Journey and Motivation
Originally from Buckinghamshire, Eliz moved to Ilkley in 2021 to be closer to her daughter following the passing of her husband. Her connection to Bradford Royal Infirmary runs deep; after losing sight in her right eye decades ago, she underwent crucial surgery at BRI in 2023 to preserve the remaining vision in her left eye. She credits the hospital and surgeon Helen Devonport for saving her sight, which allows her to continue the hobby she loves.
Eliz explains that crocheting keeps her active and engaged, especially since her vision prevents her from reading books. While she buys most of the wool herself from local shops like Boyes, she also receives support from the care home and recycling bags from Tesco. Without grandchildren of her own, Eliz finds immense satisfaction in knowing her handmade creations are going to good homes to comfort little ones.
Dedication and Future Plans
Remarkably, each two-foot square blanket takes Eliz precisely 2.8 days to complete. Vowing to continue her charitable work, Eliz believes in the philosophy "if you don't use it, you lose it" and plans to keep knitting for the babies for a long time to come. Her story is a powerful testament to resilience, community spirit, and the impact of small acts of kindness.
