St David’s Hospice have opened their knitted garden in Caerleon. The whole thing took thousands of hours to complete, and was finished by hand by the charities volunteers. We’re finding out about this remarkable project and what the charity hopes can come from it.
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00:00 We've got here an exhibition, an artistic installation if you like, of all the
00:08 craft work that have been done by groups of people around. There's Prosecco and Pearls
00:14 craft group, some of the girls in the WI have done stuff and we do this, this is
00:19 the third one we've done. We did it in 20 and 21, we didn't do it last year but we
00:24 do other things and basically it's to raise the profile of the hospice because
00:30 hospice, you say to people hospice and it's a sad time in their life but to do
00:34 something like this, think well they can do other things at St David's because
00:37 they support people not only at the end of life. I don't do the knitting work as
00:43 such, I do more on the craft side of it. I make the chairs for the teddy bears, I
00:49 made the beehive for the gardener. It's more on the crafty side of it, that's my
00:55 involvement because I can't knit, I can't do any of that sort of work. Yeah I mean
01:00 a lot of people all sort of contribute, the teddy bears come from various groups,
01:04 we get quite a few from charity shops, some I give them, some we've actually got to spend a bit of
01:08 money for but no it's all worthwhile and well. In money as well we get
01:13 donations, we have a stall as well selling key rings, various things made by
01:19 the people to sell and of course teddy bears. And it's interactive because
01:24 although some of the exhibits have got notices don't touch the exhibits or the
01:28 magic won't work, there's a little group of tables and picnic things that the
01:32 children can sit and play. So it's not all together, don't do this. So suddenly
01:38 they've got a tombola for teddy bears and things to buy and we've been blessed with
01:42 the weather. My favourite I think is the beehive because it's a full-size beehive,
01:48 obviously doesn't work, made out of old patio wood, it's all recycled and we've
01:53 got a model of a man who's dressed like a beekeeper and he's got
02:02 various bees on and the kids love that. Elaine and the team are really happy
02:07 with how the gardens turned out and what makes it really special for them is
02:09 being able to raise money for such a good cause. It's a hospice and there are
02:14 very few people, when you talk to people, that either haven't heard of it or
02:18 haven't had to use it. When I became involved and my husband died 14 years
02:22 ago and somebody said have you got St David's to help you and indeed we didn't
02:27 contact them until towards the end but for a couple of weeks and they come in
02:31 they support, say what can we do to help, can we get you a blue badge for your car,
02:36 things you don't think about. Yeah, on the top are our friends, little fairy garden
02:41 with on swings and seesaws, even a cannon, you know just to help them make the magic
02:47 of it all. It's fun and of course is really running for St David's. I haven't
02:52 had anybody, I don't think anybody here has heard of someone say oh I'm
02:56 not doing that. It's colourful, sun shining, you know, everybody seems to love it, they
03:03 really do.