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Jul 2022

Last Updated: 06/07/2022

Community

Harrogate Scrubbers to showcase memory quilts in Victoria Shopping Centre

by Calvin Robinson

| 06 Jul, 2022

The quilts commemorate the efforts of up to 800 volunteers in providing PPE for Harrogate hospital workers at the start of covid.

Members of Harrogate Scrubbers with the memory quilts.

Quilts made by members of Harrogate Scrubbers are set to go on display at the Victoria Shopping Centre.

Harrogate Scrubbers had 800 members making scrubs for hospital staff during the first covid lockdown.

In just six weeks, they handed over 2,037 scrubs to front line staff at Harrogate District Hospital at a time when there was a shortage of PPE supplies.

To celebrate their achievement, the scrubbers were invited to sew a square of fabric detailing what it meant to them to be part of the sewing group. The squares were then stitched together to create five memory quilts.

The group showcased the quilts at Pavilions of Harrogate in May. Now, the quilts are set to go on display for the public in the shopping centre in Harrogate town centre on Wednesday, July 27 until the end of August.

Founding member Fran Taylor said:

“We were so overwhelmed by the reaction of the public to the memory quilts that the group made to remember the scrubs that were made for Harrogate hospital in the first lockdown, that we decided to find somewhere to display them for everyone to be able to see them.

“It has been brilliant to collaborate with the Victoria Shopping Centre and use one of their units to display them all, throughout the whole summer, enabling people to come and see them from anywhere.

“We want people to look back and remember some of the positives that came out of the pandemic, and how the community pulled together to support each other, also benefitting everyone’s mental wellbeing as well.”

Harrogate Scrubbers hit target of making 2,000 items for hospital

The Harrogate Scrubbers Hall of Fame

James White, centre manager of Victoria Shopping Centre, said:

“It is a true privilege to be able to honour the exceptional work that the Harrogate Scrubbers have done and continue to do for our community.”

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Harrogate Scrubbers to showcase memory quilts in Victoria Shopping Centre

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