COMMUNITY knitting groups have been busy helping residents living with dementia keep their hands warm and busy this winter.

Hand muffs called ‘Twiddlemuffs’ provide visual and sensory stimulation to dementia patients from across Stockton Borough – as well as keeping hands warm during the winter.

Their ribbons, decorations and different textures can be twiddled by restless hands, a common symptom of dementia.

Knitting Nanas, a community group based at North Shore Academy, have made a significant contribution to the Twiddlemuffs project.

North Shore Principal, Maryssa O’Connor, said: “We are thrilled to be taking part and supporting such a local initiative.

"Our Knitting Nanas are excellent and always willing to support our academy projects to be able to amalgamate the two activities is great.

“Our students are also involved in knitting for charity, and together with our Nanas have already created impressive blankets and hats for the neonatal unit at North Tees hospital.”

The Knit and Natter group in Roseworth meet at Redhill Children’s Centre and they have also got involved with the borough's collective knitting effort.

The group are always grateful for donations of wool that can be dropped off at the centre.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has called on knitting groups and individual knitters young and old to carry on creating their own Twiddlemuffs.

The council’s cabinet member for adult services and health, Councillor Jim Beall, said: “Living with dementia is extremely difficult and often results in having restless hands. The Twiddlemuffs are a simple yet very effective way of managing this."

Free knitting instructions are available from Stockton Borough libraries, the LiveWell Dementia Hub in Thornaby and at www.stockton.gov.uk/twiddlemuffs.

Completed Twiddlemuffs can be handed into a Stockton Borough branch library or at the LiveWell Dementia Hub and will then be donated to local care homes and hospitals.

The project began in September and is running until December 19.