Welcome to:
West Wings
At The Flannel Project, we recognize that healing begins with dignity. Through our West Wings initiative, we provide essential clothing to patients in locked mental health wards across Queensland, ensuring they have access to basic garments during their hospital stay.
At the heart of West Wings is a simple but profound belief: that acts of compassion towards those in crisis carry deep significance. When we clothe someone who has nothing, visit those who are unwell, or show up for those society often overlooks, we honour their humanity - and something greater. In caring for the most vulnerable, we are part of a bigger calling: to see dignity where others see brokenness, and to respond not with judgement, but with love in action.
The Human Cost
Nurses report that when basic needs go unmet, patients are more likely to:
Withdraw or shut down emotionally
Disengage from therapy
Experience delays in discharge due to lack of appropriate clothing
Worse still, this is not a formally funded need. Most mental health units rely entirely on inconsistent public donations — which are often fashionable but clinically inappropriate, or simply not the right size or quantity. Some wards go weeks without any suitable stock.
The Need
Locked mental health wards are designed to keep people safe during moments of acute psychological crisis — often when they’re at risk of harming themselves or others. Patients may be admitted under involuntary treatment orders and can remain on the ward for days, weeks, or even months.
What many people don’t realise is that most of these individuals arrive with little or no personal belongings. Their clothes may be:
Soiled or damaged
Deemed unsafe under hospital policy
Taken during emergency admissions (e.g., via ambulance or police)
In these cases, the default solution is often a hospital gown. While clinically practical, gowns strip away a person’s identity and dignity — especially for those already battling trauma, shame, or confusion.
This is especially common for patients who are:
Homeless or in unstable housing
Experiencing severe financial hardship
Without family or community support
Admitted following a suicide attempt or drug-induced psychosis
West Wings collaborates directly with hospital mental health teams to supply patients with new, plain clothing items, including:
T-shirts
Shorts
Socks
Underwear
We also have a heart to provide warm clothing year round, as hospital wards can be cold places. However, warm clothing is more expensive, and as such we are happy to accept second hand donations for these items when in good condition.
Our Response
Our Reach
Currently, West Wings operates to supply the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, with plans to expand to additional facilities across Queensland and Australia. Our goal is to ensure that all patients in locked mental health wards have access to essential clothing during their stabilisation and recovery journey.
How You Can Help
Your support is vital to the success of West Wings. Here's how you can contribute:
Donate Clothing: We accept new, plain clothing items suitable for hospital settings.
Financial Contributions: Monetary donations help us purchase clothing and expand our reach. We adhere to a transparency model, so that you know exactly how your donations are being spent.
Volunteer: Assist with clothing drives, sorting donations, or delivering items to hospitals.
Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of mental health inpatients.