College Students and NEXT Join Forces to Create ‘Bonding Hearts’ for Rotherham Hospital Neonatal Unit
In a beautiful act of solidarity, NEXT and students from North Notts College, Rotherham College and Dearne Valley College have joined forces to bring comfort to the hospital’s tiniest patients.
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration to create fabric Bonding Hearts for the Neonatal Unit at Rotherham Hospital.
This project is a fantastic example of community spirit and hands-on learning, designed to provide comfort and promote bonding between premature and poorly babies and their parents during their stay in the unit.
What are Bonding Hearts?
Bonding Hearts are small 20cm by 20cm, soft fabric shapes- usually two identical hearts – that play a vital role in connecting the infant and the parents when direct, constant contact isn’t possible.
The heart is kept close to the parent’s skin, usually worn inside clothing to absorb their scent, then the heart is placed in the baby’s incubator or cot. The hearts are then swapped after a set period of time to help keep the scents strong.
This simple exchange allows the baby to smell their parent’s comforting scent even when they are not physically present, which can help to stabilise their heart rate and breathing, reduce stress, and strengthen the crucial parent-child bond. These hearts are also often given to siblings and even family pets to help prepare them for the baby coming home and to start the bonding process.
A Community Effort
This initiative came into reality thanks to the incredibly generous spirit of NEXT. They didn’t just donate fabric; they provided the very foundation for these tiny symbols of hope. Their contribution ensures that every heart is made from quality materials and allows our students to dedicate their energy entirely to the loving creation process.
The project is a true labour of love, carried out in dedicated stages:
Crafting Workshops
Every week on the run-up to Christmas, our students gather in workshops filled with purpose and compassion. They are meticulously cutting out the fabric shapes, following the required patterns to ensure every heart is perfect for the babies in the unit. But the comfort doesn’t end there: each student can also take the time to write a heartwarming, encouraging note to accompany the finished heart, sending a wave of community support and warmth to the parents during their challenging time.
Staff Stitches of Solidarity
Once the cutting is complete, the pre-cut shapes embark on the next phase. This vital final step is being lovingly completed by a dedicated team of staff volunteers from NEXT and our own college staff. These skilled hands are stitching together the pieces, weaving not just thread, but care and hope, transforming simple fabric into finished, ready-to-donate hearts that will soon provide irreplaceable comfort to new families.
This collaborative effort truly embodies the spirit of giving, connecting students, staff, and a major retailer in a shared mission to bring warmth to the most vulnerable members of our community.
‘We were proud to welcome NEXT to our College during our Social Action Week, where our students showcased their Bonding Heart workshops. NEXT kindly donated the fabric for learners at Dearne Valley College, Rotherham College and North Notts College, helping make this project possible. Thank you NEXT – and a huge well done to our students for your inspiring social action!’
Jessica Smith, Personal Development Coordinator and Student Support
We eagerly anticipate the moment these handcrafted Bonding Hearts are presented to the Rotherham Hospital Neonatal Unit. They represent countless hours of dedication and will offer immeasurable comfort and peace to families during the toughest of times.
Be sure to follow our journey to see the heartwarming delivery and the true impact of this collaboration in the New Year!