Recently Brenda Driscoll and Irene Wann presented nursing unit manager oncology and palliative care service Sue Arber with two quilts and two crocheted blankets.

Brenda heard Taree Craft Cottage's call for quilts as a member of the Taree Sew'n'Sews craft group and raided her blanket box.

As Brenda is a regular visitor to the oncology ward when her husband attends for treatments, she told Sue she had extra blankets she could donate and would bring them with her on her next visit.

Between the two, Brenda and Irene gave two quilts and two crocheted blankets.

Irene has been crocheting blankets for Wrapped with Love for many years, but is thrilled at the opportunity to donate locally.

"When I heard about this, I thought it was nice to do something in the immediate community," Irene said.

Brenda has been a regular maker of little quilts which she donates to the maternity ward at Manning Hospital for still born babies.

Brenda is also excited to be able to give her work to the palliative care ward, due to her family's past connection and experience of the ward.

NUM Sue Arber says the project is part of a wider project to make the palliative care ward less clinical and reflecting the warmth of a home rather than a hospital.

Redecorating the ward has been a long term project, with the patient lounge being redecorated through funds raised by the Tallwoods Women's Golf Club.

Repainting the walls, redoing the kitchen and hanging calming scenic photographic prints of beaches and waves by local photographer, KAS Photography, are also on the agenda.

Sue said they were down to their second to last quilt, through ad hoc donations through the years.

"We had a patient the other day and he had just his daughter, and he went downhill very, very quickly, and she loved the quilt," Sue said.

"It just takes it away from that whole clinical white blanket thing. It made such a difference.

"We don't give them away willy-nilly either. It's just nice to have a supply. There's often patients that come in that have a huge amount of family and they're bringing in a huge amount of things. But there are a lot of patients who don't have a lot of family and friends."

Sue asks that people donating quilts and blankets consider labelling them, with the name of their craft group, or their name, full or Christian name.

"It makes it more human and it spreads the word that the community is giving to palliative care and the community is active and passionate about this," Sue said, adding "It's nice for the nurses to know who it was from, too."