During Dying Matters Week in 2022 we put out a request for sewers to help create a stock of fabric ‘property bags’ so that our hospital colleagues had something dignified to use to give personal belongings back to family members of a deceased relative.
The response was heartwarming with lots of beautifully sewn bags in wonderful materials arriving at the Trust.
Those are now running low, and End of Life Lead Debbie Williams is hoping that sewing enthusiasts will again pull out their needles to help us replenish our stock.
She said: “These property bags have been hugely welcomed both by our staff and by relatives. They represent kindness and sympathy at a very difficult time.
“We were incredibly grateful for the response when we first appealed for them – I’d love to allow colleagues across the Trust to continue using them by having some more created.”
Dying Matters Awareness Week runs from May 4-10 and aims to help people talk about dying and grief and to plan for the end of life. More on the week can be found on the Hospice UK website here.
Bag-making instructions are available for download here if you’d like to try making one (or more!).
For more on End of Life care, Dying Matters Week or sewing of Property Bags you can email: EndofLifeCare@ghc.nhs.uk
Bags can be sent to End of Life Care, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, Edward Jenner Court, 1010 Pioneer Avenue, Brockworth, Gloucester, GL3 4AW.
