The Lions Club in Athlone handed over knitted blankets, beanies, and teddy bears at the Hanover Park day hospital’s maternity unit, last Wednesday.
The goodies were meant to keep the winter babies warm and snug.
Zarina Hendricks, president of the Lions Club of Athlone, said many mothers did not have any beanies and blankets for their children.
The donated items were part of the response Lions received to an appeal it put out for knitted items. The organisation has given 500 beanies, 40 blankets, and 10 teddy bears to the maternity units at Hanover Park day hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital.
Nurse Sindiso Gladile said the donation would help a great deal as many moms did not have anything warm for their babies after they were born. “We are very grateful for the kind gesture,” she said.
Aziza Manie, 86, from Grassy Park, who regularly knits and donates beanies for newborns, said knitting kept her busy and it felt good to help the less fortunate.
She is working on more teddy bears for World Prematurity Day on Wednesday November 17.
Ms Hendricks said the Lions Club was also selling coupon booklets to the public to buy spectacle for underprivileged school pupils.