Appeal after assault
A Hamilton-based group of pensioners provided comfort for a record-breaking amount of ill and traumatised children last year by gifting them homemade quilts.
After 19 years, the Lanarkshire Linus Group recently celebrated creating and donating its 19,000th quilt to vulnerable children.
The group of 20 volunteer pensioners were able to deliver quilts and blankets to 1234 children across Lanarkshire and Glasgow East in 2023 – totalling 19,284 over the years.
The charity helps sick, grieving, or traumatised children by making badly-needed handmade blankets, quilts and incubator covers.
In addition to working with social workers, health visitors, school nurses, and Women’s Aid, they assist children in hospitals and hospices.
Since their initial delivery to Wishaw General in August 2004, they have progressively increased the number of products donated, with more than 100 items donated in Lanarkshire alone each month of the year.
In the past three months, they have donated to North Lanarkshire School Nurses, Hamilton Social Work, Airdrie Health Visitors, Motherwell District Women’s Aid, Foster Care Associates, Princess Royal Neonatal Unit, Wishaw General Neonatal Unit, Rutherglen Health Visitors, First Steps, Airdrie, Geeza Break, Bellshill/viewpark H.V, Camglen social work, Hamilton social work, Camglen School Nurses, East Kilbride School Nurses, Hamilton Salvation Army and the Blantyre Health Visitors.
Elspeth Russell, voluntary co-ordinator with the group, was delighted to reach the momentous total.
She said: “In the beginning, during the year, we were producing slightly less and we have built up and built up.
“I mean, when I started doing it, there were just two or three of us giving talks to various church guilds and things like that. As things progressed, more regulars started volunteering.
“I keep saying that it’s all down to pensioner power.
“There’s probably about 15 to 20 regulars, and there’s so many things that are done for pensioners, but here we are, the people doing things for other folk.
“We use our own time, houses and resources to make the quilts. We have had virtually no money apart from the occasional donation, but we have received no grants or anything like that.
“Most of the people here already do it as a hobby. It’s a bit of fun. Our families have probably had enough of the quilts, so it’s good to give them to someone else.”
Lanarkshire Project Linus, named after the character in the Peanuts cartoon strip who was always featured carrying a blanket for security, is appealing for anyone who has, and can use, a sewing machine, to join them at their next monthly meeting on January 30.
Go to projectlinusuk.org.uk for more information.
Hamilton police are appealing for information after a man was seriously assaulted in a“targeted attack”on Strathaven Road.
The incident took place around 11.55pm on Wednesday, January 24, near to the junction with Mill Road.
Officers say the 47-year-old victim was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for treatment.
Detective Constable Robert Mckinstray, from Cambuslang CID, said:“this appears to have been a targeted attack, which left the victim with serious injuries.
“I am appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed what happened, or anyone with information on the incident, to please contact police.
“I would also urge any motorists who were travelling through that area and may have dashcam footage from around the time of the incident to please come forward.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident 0603 of 25 January, 2024. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.