Pair of purple knitted handmade hearts, one given to a person in hospital with COVID-19 and the other given to their loved ones, so they can feel connected when hospital restrictions meant that no visiting was allowed, made by volunteers and donated to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, introduced there by Alison Robinson, Lead Nurse, 2020

Volunteers made pairs of knitted, crocheted, and crafted pairs of hearts as part of the “Hearts in Hand” scheme at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Families and loved ones were separated from each other when hospital visiting was restricted or cancelled, especially for people hospitalised with coronavirus. To help people feel connected together while they were apart, people on the hospital’s COVID wards received one heart and their loved ones received the matching pair.

Lead Nurse Alison Robinson was inspired to introduce the scheme at her hospital, after seeing similar ones around England. She said: “Having something to touch and hold, knowing that their relative has the exact matching thing with them is very special and we hope it will help people with their distress.” People were also encouraged to phone, video call and to send letters, messages and photographs to a specialised email inbox for staff to read out to their loved ones.

Pair of handmade hearts, made from floral patterned fabric, one given to a person in hospital with COVID-19 and the other given to their loved ones, so they can feel connected when hospital restrictions meant that no visiting was allowed, made by volunteers and donated to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, introduced there by Alison Robinson, Lead Nurse, 2020

Volunteers made pairs of knitted, crocheted, and crafted pairs of hearts as part of the “Hearts in Hand” scheme at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Families and loved ones were separated from each other when hospital visiting was restricted or cancelled, especially for people hospitalised with coronavirus. To help people feel connected together while they were apart, people on the hospital’s COVID wards received one heart and their loved ones received the matching pair.

Lead Nurse Alison Robinson was inspired to introduce the scheme at her hospital, after seeing similar ones around England. She said: “Having something to touch and hold, knowing that their relative has the exact matching thing with them is very special and we hope it will help people with their distress.” People were also encouraged to phone, video call and to send letters, messages and photographs to a specialised email inbox for staff to read out to their loved ones.

Pair of red felt handmade hearts with yellow trim, one given to a person in hospital with COVID-19 and the other given to their loved ones, so they can feel connected when hospital restrictions meant that no visiting was allowed, made by volunteers and donated to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, introduced there by Alison Robinson, Lead Nurse, 2020

Volunteers made pairs of knitted, crocheted, and crafted pairs of hearts as part of the “Hearts in Hand” scheme at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Families and loved ones were separated from each other when hospital visiting was restricted or cancelled, especially for people hospitalised with coronavirus. To help people feel connected together while they were apart, people on the hospital’s COVID wards received one heart and their loved ones received the matching pair.

Lead Nurse Alison Robinson was inspired to introduce the scheme at her hospital, after seeing similar ones around England. She said: “Having something to touch and hold, knowing that their relative has the exact matching thing with them is very special and we hope it will help people with their distress.” People were also encouraged to phone, video call and to send letters, messages and photographs to a specialised email inbox for staff to read out to their loved ones.

Pair of handmade hearts made from orange fabric with a cherries and blossom pattern, one given to a person in hospital with COVID-19 and the other given to their loved ones, so they can feel connected when hospital restrictions meant that no visiting was allowed, made by volunteers and donated to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, introduced there by Alison Robinson, Lead Nurse, 2020

Volunteers made pairs of knitted, crocheted, and crafted pairs of hearts as part of the “Hearts in Hand” scheme at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Families and loved ones were separated from each other when hospital visiting was restricted or cancelled, especially for people hospitalised with coronavirus. To help people feel connected together while they were apart, people on the hospital’s COVID wards received one heart and their loved ones received the matching pair.

Lead Nurse Alison Robinson was inspired to introduce the scheme at her hospital, after seeing similar ones around England. She said: “Having something to touch and hold, knowing that their relative has the exact matching thing with them is very special and we hope it will help people with their distress.” People were also encouraged to phone, video call and to send letters, messages and photographs to a specialised email inbox for staff to read out to their loved ones.