By 
STAFF at a world-renowned clothing manufacturer in the Clogher Valley have made a generous festive donation to a local maternity unit.
Workers from the Cooneen Group factory in Fivemiletown recently visited the Maternity Department at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, where they presented a selection of beautifully handcrafted baby items.
The Western Health and Social Care Trust gratefully acknowledged the local firm’s generosity, praising both the thoughtfulness and quality of the donation.
Cooneen Group was represented on the visit by the HR department’s Emma McLaughlin, along with machinists Valerie Creddin and Daina Dzenite, who crafted an impressive range of hats, boots, socks and two very special knitted baby pods. Lead midwife Brenda McCabe accepted the donation on behalf of Cooneen staff and thanked them warmly for their kindness and creativity.
She said, “The quality and detail put into these garments is high quality and one which is not often seen to purchase in retail.
“The hats socks and boots are vital to help baby’s following delivery maintain their thermoregulation as it can take up to six hours after birth for this to be in place.
“The two beautiful knitted pods are so unique and special. Our staff have decided that these pods will be presented to the first boy and girl babies born over the Christmas period as a special gift which I am sure will be well received and a keepsake to treasure for their babies.”
Brenda also highlighted the ongoing value of community support for maternity and neonatal services across the Western Trust.
She continued, “Our Maternity Departments and indeed the Neonatal Departments in the Western Trust really appreciate such donations to help provide care to the babies that are born at Altnagelvin and South West Acute Hospitals throughout the year.
“At this time we have a good supply of knitted baby hats and kindly ask the public not to donate any more hats at this time. However, we continue to require new born cardigans and knitted baby blankets and are incredibly grateful for donations of these items. Thank you to everyone who has been so generous with donations it is very much appreciated by our parents.”
