The Great New Zealand Quilt Show 2027

Community Quilts – Meet Our 2027 Recipients

I am delighted to share with you the two charities that will receive our Community Quilts at The Great New Zealand Quilt Show next May — True Colours Children’s Health Trust and Sweet Louise.

Both were very excited when I called and asked if they would like to receive our quilts, and both have shared some information about the people who will receive them.

I hope you will support these two very worthwhile organisations by making a Community Quilt for next year’s show.

Jenny Ayden

True Colours

True Colours Children’s Health Trust was set up 22 years ago to support children with a serious health condition and their families. The children we care for have either a chronic, life-limiting or life-threatening diagnosis.

Our support can start as early as during pregnancy when a medical diagnosis impacting the health or life of a baby is picked up during a pregnancy scan. We provide support when babies are born early and end up in NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit), and we provide bereavement support when a baby or child sadly dies. Over recent years, our work has grown to also include support for late-term pregnancy loss or stillbirth.

Through counselling, child-based therapies, nursing care, advice, and education, we help children, including siblings, and parents to build the strength and resiliency they need to face the huge emotional and psychological challenges when living with a health condition, caring for their seriously ill child, or grieving their loss. Our support is free and provided for as long as a family needs us; this can sometimes be years.

We are 100% community funded.

Quilts are something that we love passing on to children and families. These become very special and are often taken to hospital when stays are needed, providing a comforting slice of home.

We have had more than one occasion when there is an unwell baby who is not going to live, and a quilt has been given and used by the baby and an older sibling to not just lie on, play or snuggle together, but to have special photos taken on. The quilt then becomes a special memory piece and item of comfort for the older sibling.

We understand and appreciate the time, money, and love that goes into making a quilt, so treat these with the respect they deserve and ensure they are going to a family who is going to love them.

We are proud to walk alongside children and families, supporting them through the toughest of times, and are always grateful when organisations and individuals within our community understand our vision and choose to walk alongside us in return.

True Colours Children’s Health Trust
https://www.truecolours.org.nz/

Sweet Louise

Sweet Louise supports people living with incurable breast cancer. When I contacted Angela Tatton, their Waikato Support Coordinator, she was delighted to hear that more quilts would be coming their way.

Angela explained that the handcrafted quilts are a very special gift for their members, bringing smiles, warmth and comfort. When a quilt is given to a new member, Sweet Louise sees it as symbolic of wrapping that person in care, love and support.

I think that is a lovely way to describe what our Community Quilts can mean to someone receiving one. We know how much time, thought and care goes into every quilt our members make, and it is wonderful to know that they will be treasured.

Sweet Louise
www.sweetlouise.org.nz

The Great New Zealand Quilt Show 2025 results are here.