Since the coronavirus crisis began, Ripon retailer Caroline Lodge has literally given material assistance to an army of volunteer sewers who have been making masks, scrubs and scrubs bags for front line workers.
Rosie & Clover, her shop in Westgate, reopened on Wednesday and Caroline told The Stray Ferret:
“It’s good to be back. When we had to close it was a nerve wracking experience, as we did not know when we would be able to reopen.”
Rosie & Clover, which has been trading in Ripon for six years, sells made-to-measure curtains and blinds, associated home furnishings and specialist furniture paint. It was temporarily closed along with many others in the city as government restrictions on the retail sector came into force.
As her shop went into lockdown, Caroline posted an item on Facebook offering free rolls of fabric for use in making PPE and had soon given away more than £750 worth of material to sewers based in Ripon, Boroughbridge and surrounding villages.
She said:
“When I heard about the urgent need for masks in particular to be made, I thought that I could help out by donating material to sewing groups. After the item on Facebook I had a line of 15 people waiting at the shop to collect rolls from me.”
Her generosity has been praised by Ripon-based mask maker Eileen Jordan (pictured above), who said:
“It tells you a lot about a person when they think about others at a time when they are facing a difficult situation. I’m pleased that Caroline’s shop is back open and I wish her every success.”
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Eileen, who has produced hundreds of masks over the past three months, added:
An army of volunteers mobilises to make scrubs for Harrogate medical staff“With the material, the thread, the buttons, the elastic and cord that has been donated by businesses and individuals in the community, thousands of masks, scrubs and scrubs bags have been made by sewers across in the area for front line workers, including local undertakers.”
Harrogate Scrubbers gained 200 Facebook followers and raised more than £4,500 in its first 24 hours of existence. The group was formed in response a the nation wide shortage of scrubs and has committed to make 700 scrubs for staff working in the Harrogate area to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The project is being organised by Fran Taylor (above) , a teacher at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate, in conjunction with the Foundation Trust that runs Harrogate District Hospital. Fran is coordinating fabric orders, pattern printing and delivery of the finished items from home.
“‘The community response has been genuinely humbling, with offers of help from people stuck at home, community groups, local companies and professional sewing groups. It has created a team atmosphere and real community spirit, actually giving people a purpose and the ability to feel that they are supporting the NHS both through staying at home, but also doing something productive while they are there”
Some of the scrubs sewn by volunteers ready to be delivered to the hospital
A fundraiser was set up online with support coming from individuals as well as organisations including guesthouse association Accommodation Harrogate, and estate agents, Verity Frearson.
Earlier this week, Fran found herself borrowing the keys to her church in order to have the floor space to roll out, measure and cut the fabric. Once cut, it was parcelled up with patterns – printed by Enid Taylor on Cold Bath Road – and sent out to the volunteers.
“There’s really fantastic community support,” she said. “Any enthusiastic beginner can come and help us. We’re always looking for people to come and sew and support us with organising and getting supplies to our drop-off point.”
As well as blue scrubs, spare fabric is being used to create laundry bags
Local businesses are involved too in supplying fabric. Harrogate interior design firm Furnish & Fettle are providing over 800m of fabric and getting the team to join in with sewing and deliveries.
Owner Eleanor Goddard said, ‘We are delighted to be able to do something to support the NHS and utilise the supplies we have in stock. This is a brilliant way for us to give something back and thank all those on the frontline.’
White Rose Sewing in Harrogate are also supporting the scheme and have offered to help with supplying some of the materials as has M&M Fabrics in Leeds’s Kirkgate market.
The volunteers will make scrubs, laundry bags, scrub caps and waterproof gowns.
“There’s lots of people who are at home more than they would like to be and maybe who have got extra time on their hands because of being furloughed and that’s a real worry for them,” Fran said. “Being able to keep busy is good for their mental health and it also helps people to feel connected.”
Can you help?
The good news is you can help even if you can’t sew..Roles and items The Harrogate Scrubbers need:
- People who can sew both scrubs and bags to put them in
- People able to deliver and collect the fabric and scrubs
- Donations of money to help buy the fabric and accessories
- Donations of plain lightweight polycotton fabric or new sheets
- Volunteers to cut the fabric into packs and prepare them
- Printers to print the patterns to go in the packs
To donate, visit: https://tinyurl.com/harrogatescrubbers Join the Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/harrogatescrubbers Alternatively, contact Fran Taylor directly harrogatescrubbers@gmail.com