A Stockton teacher has launched an ambitious project to help premature babies and their families, in memory of her late sister.

With the help of students and colleagues at Stockton Riverside College, Janet Teasdale plans to make essential kits for all of the families passing through the Neonatal Unit at the University Hospital of North Tees.

Supporting the work of NeoAngels, a charity set up to support parents during their time on the special care unit, each box will contain essential toiletries for mum and dad, along with a tiny cardigan, booties and specially treated bonding squares, for baby.

“It might not sound like a lot but providing boxes of essential items for parents who may have been rushed in unexpectedly, means that they don’t need to leave their babies and can help for those first couple of days,” said Janet, of Middlesbrough.

With 10 boxes ready to go and another 340 waiting to be filled, she said: “It is going to be a lot of hard work but I know that my sister would have been so proud.”

Janet’s younger sibling, Debbie Watkinson, was the inspiration behind the project.

Diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago, the mum-of-five thought she had successfully fought off the disease only to be told three weeks later that it had returned in her brain. The 50-year-old lost her battle in December last year.

Among her possessions was a large collection of left over wool which was handed over to Janet who, devastated by the loss of her sister, was determined to make this final gift count.

“I wanted to do something positive with it and with no two balls of wool the same I came up with the idea of knitting baby items,” she said.

Like all good ideas, the plan quickly snowballed and with Stockton Riverside College students and staff wanting to show their support the initiative began.

"I can't believe the support that I have received from all those around me," said Janet, 51, who teaches Health and Social Care at the College.

Fellow staff quickly volunteered to help with the knitting, while Health and Social Care and Childcare students started their own fundraising drive to support the charity.

NeoAngels was established in October last year to help the Neonatal Unit at the University Hospital of North Tees care for premature and sick new born babies, their mothers and families. The unit cares for around 350 babies every year.

Kirsty Lowther, who founded the charity with her husband, Shaun, after they spent 76 days on the unit following the birth of their twins, Noah and Ava, at just 26 weeks gestation, said: “When Janet approached us with the idea about the shoeboxes we thought it was amazing.
As a mum of premature twins I know how much something like this can help.

“I’m a very organised person but when I went into labour three months early I didn’t have a bag packed.

“When you go through something like this you want your partner by your side, not popping out to pick up essentials.”

She said: “The work that Janet and the College are doing will make a massive difference to these families.”

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