By KATH GANNAWAY
IT’S quite rare that the everyday person gets a hands-on opportunity to make the lives of people with special needs better.
Seville Community House’s 2016 community project, the Fiddle Rug Project, does it.
SCH volunteers Fran Snowdon and Glenice Hopes are behind the project which will utilise the knitting, sewing, crocheting and woodwork skills of community members to produce ‘fiddle’ rugs, cushions or boards for adults with dementia, and for adults and children with intellectual disabilities.
Glenice’s background is in the disability and aged-care sector.
“Often people with special needs are given something to keep their hands occupied … to fiddle with,” she said.
Hence the name of the project.
There are two kinds, one is sensory, aimed at helping reduce anxiety, stress and tension, and the other is about maintaining basic skills.
“People with dementia start to lose the ability to do everyday things such as doing up buttons, zips and shoelaces,” Glenice said.
“Fiddling with these sorts of things helps maintain that ability.”
Knobs, door handles, bits of chain … anything out of the shed can be part of the woodwork boards that Glenice said have particular appeal to men.
The official launch of the Fiddle Rug Project, including a workshop, is on Saturday 5 March, at the Seville Community House.
There will be an exhibition and competition, after which the rugs and boards will be donated to day care centres, special schools and nursing homes.
For more information visit www.sevillecommhouse.org.au, the Seville Community House Facebook page, or phone 5964 3987.
