Balhousie residents' craft work forms part of Perth art exhibit Balhousie Care Group

Three residents of Balhousie Luncarty care home have knitted their way to local recognition, thanks to a project that celebrates creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faye Rennie, Morag Milne and Pat Malcolm knitted patchwork squares for the Rainbow Blanket Appeal, with Faye alone knitting 80 squares. Between them, the trio created two beautiful and bright knitted blankets. Their handiwork and photos of the project’s progress form part of an exhibition, Brighter Days Ahead, at the AK Bell Library in Perth.

Faye, who officially opened the exhibition this week, said: “It’s always enjoyable to do things like this, not just because I’ve been knitting all my life, but also because I like to give back. There is always someone less fortunate.” The blankets are being donated to charity.

Also contributing to some of the craft projects included in the exhibition were residents from Balhousie North Inch care home in Perth.

Carla McCorquodale, Activities Coordinator at Balhousie Luncarty and organiser of the project at the home, said: “I’m very proud of our residents and we are all delighted with the colourful results. This was great fun to be part of, and provided a valuable project for our residents. Many thanks to the group Generating Opportunity CIC for working with us.”

: Faye with recognition of her contribution.

: One of the blankets donated by Luncarty.

: Faye with Linda Grant opening the event.

The Brighter Days Ahead artwork exhibition was created by social enterprise group Generating Opportunity CIC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by people in care homes, residential facilities and community support groups. The project began in response to an appeal by Ninewells Hospital in Dundee asking people to make knitted hearts as tokens of support. It secured funding from the National Lottery Community Foundation and the Corra Foundation in 2021, enabling artists and cultural practitioners to work together remotely to develop a programme of activity around the headline of Brighter Days Ahead.

More than 200 participants took part, with the exhibition showing just some of the work. It includes poetry, artwork, photography and crafts.

Linda Grant of Generating Opportunity CIC said she hoped the project could continue and widen its scope to more care homes and to inter-generational opportunities.