Bethanie Dalyellup Social Housing Residents Supporting Their Community

Bethanie, Western Australia’s most recognised not-for-profit aged care and retirement living provider works hard to ensure both staff and clients value the importance of social contributions, driving activities which are not part of Bethanie’s core business, but contribute greatly to the wellbeing of the community.

A very special group of women from Bethanie Dalyellup Social Housing have been meeting every Monday afternoon for around four years, to make soft toys and various other items for Dot’s Place (Cancer Foundation), Bunbury Regional Hospital and SJOG Hospital.

The craft group, who came up with the idea themselves to donate their hand made creations, are producing a large number of items each month including shawls, turbans, scarves, infant and adult beanies, knitted crocheted rugs and much more. Many of the items are given to the Community Carers at the local hospitals, who then distribute the toys to the surgical, maternity and the children’s wards.

The Community Carers also put together a gift box for single new mothers with the items the ladies make such as matinee jackets, booties and baby beanies.

One special contribution, which the ladies receive much gratitude for, is their little hand knitted mice. Four women in particular focus on the mice and have received dozens of thank you cards from the hospital from grateful recipients. Three of these women reside at Bethanie Dallyellup and one lady is a good friend who enjoys coming in and joining the group each week.

The ladies often made hand knitted mice, but one day St John of God Hospital made a specific request for a smaller mouse, something so small it could be placed in the pocket of the operations gown of a child. This would mean the child could produce it and scare the nurses and the doctors, and also have something there before they went under and when they woke up, putting themselves at ease before an anaesthetic.

Bethanie Dalyellup Tenancy Manager, Marie Friend, comments, “What these residents are doing each month is inspiring. We are proud to support all their social contributions, offering help and guidance and the facilities to allow them to make such wonderful creations, being shared out amongst our local community to those who are in need.

“This special group of ladies are doing an amazing job and are very proud of what they are doing for our local hospitals.”

Bethanie Dalyellup offers 104 one and two-bedroom quality apartment housing that’s affordable, well-appointed and close to nearby shops and services for ease and convenience of daily life. Located in the State’s beautiful South-West region, their apartments afford a vibrant, energetic and social lifestyle.

Find out more about Bethanie.