HEREFORD Parenting Hub and Playgroup are holding a workshop teaching knitting and crochet skills for making items for premature babies in SCBU.

The workshop will be led by Catherine Hanby-Bowes, who has offered to teach others to make some of the items she has been making and donating for years.

It is a deeply personal cause for Ms Hanby-Bowes, whose mother, born prematurely at 28 weeks gestation in 1948, was one of the first babies to benefit from the then newly formed National Health Service's incubators.

"I started making items for the SCBU units about 12 years ago, when I was working for a company that supplied software to the NHS," said Ms Hanby-Bowes.

"I got chatting with the staff in some of the hospitals and I started sending them knitted goods. If they came to our building, I would give them knitted items too.

"I wanted to give back to the system that helped my mum survive."

The workshop will take place at 11am on February 24 at Hereford County Hospital, with the potential for a second workshop later in the day if interest is high.

Participants are invited to make a donation, with all proceeds going to the Born Sleeping Appeal and donations of wool will be gratefully accepted.

Those interested in attending should contact Rosie Evans on 07581315815 or at rosiemay80uk@yahoo.co.uk.