A Bury carer has helped an elderly lady with memory loss rediscover her passion for knitting and they have pledged to use their skills to make hats for the community. 

Dawn Chaisty, a care professional at Home Instead Bury, helped the resident after she noticed the former knitting lover struggled to remember how to cast on and use her wooden knitting needles.  

Dawn, 42, was determined to help and went away to watch YouTube tutorials to build on her own skills and pass these on. 

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She said: “The local lady I provide care for struggles with intermittent memory loss so would become frustrated when she couldn’t remember how to knit and would undo all her hard work.  

“Having learnt the basics, I was determined to reignite her passion for the hobby.

"With a new set of needles and some different wools, it’s amazing to see how confident she is becoming with her knitting, it’s now an activity we enjoy doing together.” 

The pair are now working towards making hats for a premature baby unit, with Dawn making the main bulk of the hat and the resident adding on pompoms.  

Their aim is to progress onto making hats for the elderly, either for a charity or hospital. 

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Home Instead Bury provides care services to elderly and vulnerable people, keeping them living safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible.   

Kevin Winch, the owner of Home Instead Bury, said the team were “incredibly proud” of Dawn.

He added: “We are all incredibly proud of Dawn for going above and beyond.  

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“She’s not only built confidence but brought so much joy to the local lady she provides care for so she can now enjoy her knitting again.” 

If you have a story tweet @BuryTimes or @Heywoodharriet_ or email Harriet.Heywood@newsquest.co.uk. 

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