Harry shows his skills at The Lawns
A Leamington man living in a home for elderly people has shown himself to be a dab hand at rug making.
91 year old Harry Whitmore has lived at The Lawns Home for Elderly People for three years since a series of hip operations left him unable to manage the stairs at his own home.
As well as enjoying a range of activities at the home, Harry has also been using his time creatively, pursuing his hobbies of rug making and creating pictures from bits of brightly coloured tin foil.
For his rugs, Harry endures the painstaking process of attaching individual strands of coloured wool, each in an exact position. He estimates that thousands of small three inch lengths of wool go into each rug which takes him around 12 weeks to complete.
Harry donates many of his rugs to the home for fetes and many members of staff and other residents now own one of his pictures.
Harry said: “The rugs give me something to keep myself active. I enjoy making them and they are always useful for the home when we’re looking to raise funds. I get a lot of support from staff and donating rugs is a way of putting something back.”
Jill Turley of Warwickshire County Council manages the home. She said: “Harry’s rugs are a delight and provide a bright addition to the place. It is always a pleasure to see the residents continuing with their hobbies and pastimes. We are always delighted to support them in any way that we can.”
The Lawns Home for Elderly People, run by Warwickshire County Council, accommodates up to 30 people over the age of 65 with permanent residential care and provides for a further five short term stays.
Day care is also available to any elderly people in the community who want company and these join residents for the programme of entertainments, bingo and quizzes at the home, along with a hot lunch. GPs refer elderly people to social workers who arrange for them to join staff and residents at the centre throughout the week, arranging transport through families and departmental transport to and from their own homes Monday to Friday.