Lancashire's sewing community pulled together to make more than 140 cushions and bags for breast cancer and palliative care patients.

Emotions ran high on Friday November 4 as Sew Confident Chorley brought together the Lancashire community to make valuable items that will support patients' pain management and recovery.

Dawn Elliott, Franchisee of Sew Confident Chorley, a sewing studio that runs workshops and crafting classes helping people to sew, knit and crochet, was the driving force behind the charitable project in partnership with Making for Charity.

A full day of sewing took place where volunteers participated in sewing bags that carry patients' Syringe Drivers, small portable battery powered machines which administer painkillers, and heart shaped pillows designed to sit under the arm of breast cancer patients for comfort.

Dawn welcomed a mixture of volunteers that contributed to the brilliant cause, including customers, people going through cancer treatment and some that had lost loved ones to the disease.

Dawn and her volunteers made 68 heart shaped pillows and 72 drainage bags within the four time slots running between 10am-6pm.

Items were tagged with messages from the people that made them.

Eager helpers also took sewing kits and patterns home to create more items to donate. 

Staff from Chorley Breast Care Unit attended the event, met with some of the volunteers and took 30 hearts and 20 bags back with them for patients of the unit.

A further donation of 54 syringe driver bags were given to Preston Hospital’s palliative care unit on Sunday.

Dawn said: “Each of our volunteers had their own reason for getting involved and it was so moving to hear some of their personal stories.

"It was a great turn out, with a warm atmosphere.

"So many of our volunteers wrote lovely personal messages on the tags that were attached to each of the hearts and bags so I do hope the patients using them can take comfort from them.

"I’m blown away by the response from the community looking to get involved and so pleased to be able to help Julie in her mission to improve the lives of people going through very difficult times.”

Making for Charity is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing resources and project advice for people who wish to support charities through the production of craft items.

Julie Taylor from Making for Charity said: “I started Making for Charity over 11 years ago after I saw a Macmillan noticeboard that said they were using carrier bags for patients to carry syringe drivers.

"I designed a pattern that was easy to make and contacted local schools where I volunteered to teach classes making them.

"Since then over 100,000 bags have been made by volunteers and donated to hospitals and hospices across the country.

"The event at Sew Confident has boosted the number of donations made this year, and it was wonderful to see so many people volunteer to get involved.

"I’m very grateful to Dawn for setting this up.”

For anyone looking to get involved, more information and instructions are listed on https://makingforcharity.co.uk/