A GROUP of enthusiastic knitters have joined forces to create tactile hand muffs to help people suffering with dementia.

After seeing an article in the Times about the benefits of Twiddlemuffs — a knitted muff with various beads and items attached so people with dementia, who often have restless hands, can keep them occupied — a group of ladies from Parkwood Court Sheltered Housing have been meeting once a week to create the muffs.

Under the direction of resident Joyce Williams, the group started as a friendly get together of a couple of people but has since grown.

Joyce said: ‘It all started when the manager Rose, wanted me to show her how to crochet. Then two or three others wanted to join us to knit together socially and soon there became too many people to fit in my flat so we moved down to the community room, where more ladies joined.

‘We were all just knitting our own things until I saw a piece in the Tavistock Times about Twiddlemuffs and I suggested we have a muff knitting group. We started with about six people and we now have around 13 and meet every Tuesday. It’s a good excuse for some of us to socialise instead of just sitting and looking at our four walls — we have a bit of a singsong and it makes a really good evening. It’s good to know that we in Parkwood Court are doing something to help other people.’

The Twiddlemuffs produced by the Parkwood Court knitters have already gone to a number of nursing homes in the area such as Camplehaye, Spring House and Derriford Hospital.

Fellow knitter Margaret Faulkner contacts the local nursing homes to see how many they need and so far the ladies have had a good response. Any surplus Twiddlemuffs get sent to Derriford, which is always pleased with the donation

Picture by James Bird.