Midwives and new mums at a South Wales hospital are getting a little help with their breastfeeding thanks to a group of knitters from Bridgend.

The Knit & Natter Group at Llys Faen make many things to help the community. For several years they have been knitting and crocheting blankets and hats for people experiencing homelessness and blankets and muffs for elderly residents at two local nursing homes.

But lately they have received a more unusual request.

Resident Alison Burke explains: “One of my relatives is a midwife at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. She knew I liked knitting and asked ‘could you knit breasts?’ They use them for training new midwives to teach new mothers how to breastfeed.

“She sent me a pattern and between us we have knitted and crocheted quite a few of all different shapes, sizes and colours.”

The group, which is made up of residents Alison, Lynne, Rosemary, Marjorie, Adele and Jill, meet weekly in the communal room of their scheme at Llys Faen. Some of the group suffer from ill health and look forward to their weekly sessions where they craft over a cup of tea.

They are also joined by the local community leader from their local Tesco store who brings wool donations for the group.

For their next project, the group has been asked to make 80 blankets and muffs for their local care home.

Alison says: “Some of the elderly people suffer from cold hands, so we have been asked to make muffs to keep them warm. We make the muffs with buttons inside as some people with dementia fidget with their fingers.

“We enjoy sitting with friends and chatting in our group. Making things that help others makes it even more worthwhile.”