BAA uniforms help war heroes

OLD BAA uniform shirts are being recycled into cosy quilts for injured British servicemen and women. Stansted security officer Heather Stevens, who lives in Takeley, has delivered hundreds of shirts, formerly worn by her colleagues, to a group of needlewo

OLD BAA uniform shirts are being recycled into cosy quilts for injured British servicemen and women.

Stansted security officer Heather Stevens, who lives in Takeley, has delivered hundreds of shirts, formerly worn by her colleagues, to a group of needleworkers in Lutterworth, Leicestershire who are supporting the Help fro Heroes charity.

The eight ladies use every part of the shirts; they recycle the buttons, remove collars and cuffs to donate as rags to local charity shops and cut the rest of the shirt into squares to make patchwork quilts.

Mrs Stevens said: "The padded quilts are taken to Headley Court, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey. The injured servicemen and women get to choose their own quilt and can take them home at the end of their stay, if they wish - and most do."

The Lutterworth Ladies sewing group chose Help for Heroes as their charity this year and hit upon the idea of making quilts. They also make fabric shopping bags and small quilts to sell to raise cash for the charity.

"The women are all pensioners but they get great pleasure out of doing something so worthwhile," said Heather. "It's really good to know that our old uniform shirts are being used for such a good cause.