Published on: 28 May 2026
The beautifully intricate and tactile knitted vegetable basket could easily be mistaken for part of a baby’s playthings.
Carrots, leeks, tiny tomatoes on the vine and even cabbages have been crafted out of wool, but it won’t be little children who delight in them. These vegetables are part of a memory box of garden-themed items used by occupational therapists in their work with dementia patients.
They have been developed by members of staff at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who have been hard at work sourcing items from charity shops, donations from friends and family and from a Facebook-based knitting group to create the boxes, which were launched during Dementia Awareness Week (May 18-24).
The boxes are cared for by the Trust’s librarians, Marie Hickman and Emma Bayliss. Marie said: “We knew of other trusts who had them, and Emma was particularly keen to take on the project, so we started collecting things. We have done it on a shoestring budget, with a lot donated by the Hookers and Clickers knitting group. We tell them the themes we want and the next thing we know, they’ve created these beautiful things!”
It is hard not to be enthralled by the contents of each box, which range from a seaside box complete with knitted fish and chips, to an afternoon tea box (ever seen knitted Battenburg cake?) and even a pet box, with a toy dog, basket, bowls and laminated pictures of dogs to use as conversation starters.
Emma said: “This is just the start of the project; we are hoping to expand the collection to cover a much wider range of cultures and interests. We’ve started an Islam box with a mat, incense, hat, scarf and pictures; we’ve got a box of football-themed items being donated by someone from Derby County and we would like a shed box with knitted tools, boxes from different decades and perhaps a nature box.”
The boxes will be available for Trust staff, primarily occupational therapists or those who work with groups out in the community, to borrow and share with dementia patients as conversation starters and reduce anxiety. Using the items can improve a patient’s mood, self-esteem and social interaction, which helps patients engage with their past to feel more comfortable.
Amanda Mitchell, advanced clinical occupational therapy lead practitioner, uses the boxes with patient groups.
“We use them in organised formal reminiscence sessions where we pick a topic and bring in a memory box to start conversations,” she said. “But we also use them as conversation starters because it can be hard for dementia patients to start conversations. The longer-term memory stays intact for longer, so they are great for that; the boxes are full of recognisable objects that bring memories to life.
“The seaside box is really popular, as is anything to do with holidays,” said Amanda. “Using these things can reduce levels of agitation and really calm our patients. We love them!”
The Hookers and Clickers group have also made lots of “twiddle muffs” for the patients.
Emma explained: “Twiddle muffs are knitted muffs with items attached to them to keep dementia patients’ hands active and busy. They contain strands of ribbon, or beads and various fabrics inside and out to create visual, tactile and sensory stimulation while keeping the patient’s hands warm at the same time.”
Glenda Youde from the Hookers and Clickers group said her knitters love the challenge of creating the items.
“When Emma asks us to make something in particular, our first port of call is to look for a free pattern online – there’s so much out there. If we can’t find one, then there are several of us who really like just trying to create it ourselves without a pattern,” she said.
“If it’s really complicated then often it just comes to me. I made the fish and chips! We love doing it and we love to help out.”
Marie and Emma both say they can’t walk past a charity shop now without spotting something they think would be ideal for their boxes. “We are constantly thinking, that would be good for this box, or we could start a new one on that theme!” joked Marie.
If you have any items that could be useful for the boxes, particularly items from different cultural backgrounds, you can contact Marie or Emma at dhcft.kingsway.library@nhs.net or 01332 980105.
