Some grandmas get together to play bridge or knit hats for their grandchildren. But a group of grandmas in Union City, a small city in Tennessee, get together weekly to turn discarded plastic bags into mattresses that are then given to people who are sleeping rough. The project not only helps people down on their luck, it’s also good for the environment.

The “Bag Ladies”, as they are nicknamed, started their initiative to turn plastic bags into mattresses in January 2015 at the Second Baptist Church, an evangelical church in Union City.

The person who launched this programme is Randy Pool, who works withMississippi River Ministry, an organisation that brings together several Baptist churches in the area to work on volunteer projects.

“I’m not sure who had the original idea, but it’s become a popular activity among women in the Baptist community,” Pool said. “I thought it was a great idea so I started talking about it to churchgoers in my region, especially in Union City.”