Hats for Home - an initiative thought up by Clinical Commander, Heather Cording, aims to get patients adequately suited for the cold weather when they're being discharged from our hospitals over winter.

Heather said: "I've always enjoyed crafting and am an avid knitter. After running out of people at home to give hats to, I thought it would be a nice idea to start making hats for some of our patients. Since October I've made around 40 hats that have been donated to our Discharge Lounge.

"In the winter months, our elderly and frail patients can get very cold travelling back home from hospital - Heather's Hats for Home initiative is helping to keep those patients warm."

Discharge Lounge Sister, Kath Stubbington, said: "The hats have been such a lovely thought from Heather. She really has thought about those patients who have nothing, going home in winter and keeping warm. All the hats are knitted by her and every patient who has received one has been so grateful."

If anyone else can knit hats, and would like to help, you'd be more than welcome to donate your creations to our Discharge Lounge. Also, if anyone has any spare or unused wool, please feel free to contact Heather.Cording@cht.nhs.uk to help her continue making the hats.

Colleagues on wards can also help by supporting carers and relatives to bring warm clothing for their family members to leave hospital in.