Craft group start sewing scrubs for Stoke Mandeville Hospital staff during coronavirus pandemic

A craft group in Berkhamsted is helping the NHS by making scrubs and bags for staff at Stoke Mandeville Hospital during the coronavirus pandemic.

South East Crafts Causes, based in Berkhamsted, originally came together last year to help make items to save animals in the Australian bushfires, they now have over 1,000 members on the Facebook Page. Now, they are sewing scrubs and bags for hospital staff at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Colleen Duggan, one of the group members, said: "We have been asked to sew scrubs and bags, these are for staff who do not normally wear scrubs but are required to now due to covid19.

"Hospitals need scrubs and bags for the scrubs, we wanted to help in some way.

"We are crafters and we thought this is something that we can do to help those who are working hard for the NHS and saving lives.

"We have raised over £1700 at the moment to help cover the cost of fabric and trimmings, our goal is £5,000 so we have made a great start.

"We will make 500 sets of scrubs, we desperately need more funds to be able to secure the amount of fabric needed to sew 500 sets of scrubs.

"The fabric alone costs approx £10 per scrub set."

The group has been sewing scrub bags for hospital staff, these are draw string bags and each set of scrubs will have a bag.

They are looking for volunteers to donate materials, sew scrubs (using equipment provided) and sew scrub bags.

Colleen added: "We've had amazing support and it would be good to spread the word to more people.

"We are currently sourcing the material, it has to be the correct material though.

"The money raised will go towards purchasing this for our crafters to sew the scrubs.

"The ladies are currently making the bags for the scrubs.

"We want to thank everyone who has supported us with donations and helping us source the material, it is really great to see everyone helping.

"Across the country there are so many things that people are doing to help others, this is great to see."

There will be two main hubs for drop off points, one in Tring and one in Berkhamsted. The group will then distribute them to the hospitals.

To make a donation visit: www.gofundme.com/f/sewing-scrubs-for-our-nhs.