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:

“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.”