Friday, 22 November 2024

Girl Friday

The dictionary defines this as "a female office worker,who does different types of work" I'm a sort of Girl Friday in my role as a Hospital Volunteer. I visit the patients, I chat to them, and listen to their stories. I take their books and magazines back to the Day Room and fetch others [but no more People's Friend, dear, I've read all of them] I plug in phone chargers and refill water jugs as requested. Definitely a variety of tasks - and all done on a Friday morning.
Obviously I'm not there today because I'm in London, but I doubt they will notice. For many of them, it is hard to keep track of what day it is! My particular remit is to encourage craft activities, to keep their hands active so they don't lose motor skills, and also engage their brains in projects.
This weekend marks the start of the Dereham Christmas Tree Festival.
I was asked to get patients making tree decorations. Two staff are making "hospital themed" stuff, fashioning little amber shades for plain Christmas lights using old cylindrical plastic pill pots.
Bob prepared me some wooden "baubles" on his laser cutter. 

I took some felt pens to the bedsides along with small plastic chopping boards as a firm work surface. 


Patients enjoyed colouring them in. I look forward to visiting St Nicholas Church when I get back and seeing our Hospital Tree. 

Are you involved in any Tree or Wreath Festivals? 




20 comments:

  1. I must look out and see if there are any locally. My old church used to get all the local schools to make certain themed decorations for the tree- one school would do angels, another stars, another sheep etc and they'd be hung in layers on the massive Christmas tree.
    I'd like to go to a Christmas tree festival!! Kx

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    1. They are such fun. People are so imaginative in their decorations 🎄🎄🎄

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  2. Love the baubles and what a great idea to use felt pens. Enjoy London. Catriona

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    1. 🎄I'm sure Shedman could do these. Felt pens are easy for the people to manipulate, less messy than paint!!

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  3. The decorations look lovely. Our singing for fun group has a tree in the church where we sing tree festival. Our theme is "Music". We have all been making musical notes and symbols cut out of cardboard, painted black then sprinkled with glitter. I never want to see a treble cleff again, they are hard to cut out! Also my house is very glittery at the moment! A little glitter literally goes everywhere. Regards Sue H

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  4. One school I worked in had an annual Decorations Day. It was the ONLY day in the year when the Head would allow the use of glitter (but the cleaning staff were still hoovering it up days later as it fell from the dangling decorations!!! A music tree sounds fun. Old hymnbooks are a good source of music paper for crafting...

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  5. Would love to attend a couple of local wreath making workshops but for £35-50, I'll quite happily make my own!

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  6. I'm not 'involved' in any tree festivals. but I will be visiting the one in our local church when it's all set up. It's always nice to see all the trees from the town's various organisations and vote for my favourite, as well as buy a cup of coffee and a raffle ticket or two.

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    1. I've never been to one which had a Favourites Vote. Great idea

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  7. The ornaments are a wonderful idea! The patients must really appreciate the fun distraction and the tree will look lovely.

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    1. One lady said she was enjoying it, because it was so boring in the ward

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  8. They look great. Such a good idea. Lovely for Bob to get involved too.

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  9. Very pretty, and easy to cope with using felt pen. I am going to a wreath making evening at our church, though most often make my own at home.

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    1. Making wreaths in a group is fun, my craft group did them last year and I really enjoyed it

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  10. Locally there are some small trees with paper angels that say "boy", "girl", "senior", sometimes with an age for children. They are of course for those in need, and people can take an angel and return with an unwrapped gift, plus the tag. All of these are actually set out on tables on a certain date, for parents to choose gifts for their children. Our church is focussing on stocking stuffers and gives suggestions. These will also be set out.
    I wanted to let you know that I saw a website where there was a handcrafted mouse, simpler design than your Morley mice and only sporting a small scarf. It was priced at almost £20, when Canadian dollars were converted!

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    1. That gift idea is lovely. I must make more mice now I'm back home 🐁

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  11. Lovely ornaments; very colorful. I'm sure they will look great on the tree.

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  12. Thank you Bless. Now we are back in Norfolk I hope to go to see the Festival soon

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