Racecourse Quilters raise funds to buy much needed equipment for Heydon Ward

In memory of their founding member and late president Karen Mortimer, the Racecourse Quilters have raised £3,500 over the last two years to purchase a number of pieces of equipment to donate to the Stroke Unit at Heydon Ward at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

The Racecourse Quilters, so named because their meeting place is at the Racecourse Inn in Salhouse, raised money through the sale of their quilts and other items of hand-crafted sewing work. Their representative has worked alongside Sara Petruckevitch-Marsh, Speech and Language Therapist, Jane Shemilt, Deputy Sister and Kate Holvey, Ward manager for Heydon Ward on which pieces of equipment to purchase.

The monies raised along with a donation from the Fitzmaurice Trust has allowed for the following equipment to be purchased:

• A “Suffolk” working chair which has been designed for those undergoing rehabilitation following a stroke, head injury or other neurological or physical condition. This chair provides excellent postural support, positioning and pressure care management. A fine example of mobile engineering for the benefit of the patient.

• A smaller, “Esteem” transit wheelchair for easy movement of patients to other places of treatment, within the hospital confines.

• A bedside instrument that quickly helps to diagnose moderate to severe aphasia, which is a communication disorder which makes it difficult to read, write or speak

• Two ‘Bigmack Communicators’ which help communication between patient and specialist which is particularly useful when sufferers of a stroke have difficulty with communication

• And several packs of blank, writing Whiteboards

Kate Holvey, Ward Manager and Jane Shemilt, Deputy Sister for Heydon Ward said “we are extremely grateful to the members of Racecourse Quilters for the continued fundraising efforts and donation of this much needed equipment, which will help future stroke patients on our ward.”

Gisela Revill, founder member and friend of Karen Mortimer said that it has been a great pleasure and source of extreme pride to all of our members to be able to carry out the handcrafting of our many articles, which we have sold, mainly at the Norwich Forum in November 2012. Gisela Revill says that she is proud of all the members of the Racecourse Quilters in continuing with the initial wishes of their late president, seamstress and former prima ballerina Karen Mortimer, culminating in this hand-over today of specialised items for the benefit of the wards’ patients.

Photo opportunity

The equipment will be formally donated by the Racecourse Quilters to Heydon Ward at the NNUH on Thursday 16th May 2013 at 1.15pm.