It’s now mandatory to wear
facemasks when out and about on public transport and in shops – but thanks to a
generous donation from a Sheffield sewing group, colleagues at The Rotherham
NHS Foundation Trust will be wearing theirs with style.
Members of the ‘Help for
Healthcare Workers – Sheffield’ sewing group put their sewing machines to good
use earlier this year to make face masks, mask adaptors and scrubs to support
the NHS.
Sally Atkinson, Patient Access
Service Manager at the Trust and founder of the Help for Healthcare Workers –
Sheffield group, recently donated 600 masks to the Rotherham Hospital and Community
Charity.
The masks were so popular with
colleagues, the charity raised £525.13 for the charity’s Rotherham NHS
Superheroes appeal.
Sally said: “Since the group
started, we have delivered more than 25,000 items to hospitals, GP practices,
care homes, carers, pharmacies, schools, homeless shelters, food banks and community groups across Sheffield and Rotherham, including to the
Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity.
“There has been such an
unprecedented demand for face masks in particular, we have been overwhelmed. The
sewing group has been incredibly busy not just sewing but managing our Facebook and Go Fund
Me pages, appealing for fabric and elastic and delivering orders.
“I don’t think we ever thought
our craft items would be so popular. We’ve worked hard to fulfil orders from
all over South Yorkshire. This was our way of helping the NHS and our colleagues
when they really need it the most and we’re delighted the mask sale was so
popular.
“The project has helped the
group members just as much as those we have sewn items for. Many of our members have expressed how much being a
part of this friendly and uplifting community project has helped them through
the last few months. It has given many, who were themselves shielding or
furloughed, a positive focus during a difficult time. They all gave their time
and a lot of their own resources to make the project a success too.”
Since making
their initial donation, the ‘Help for Healthcare Workers – Sheffield’
sewing group had donated an additional 600 masks to the charity. The donation was
possible thanks to funding for material and other resources from the Sitwell
Rotary Club.
In April 2020, the charity
launched the Rotherham NHS Superheroes appeal, encouraging the public to
support the town’s dedicated NHS staff through the coronavirus crisis.
Since then, the charity has
received more than £20,000
in donations from generous individuals, community groups and businesses.
The money will help to fund resources for staff in the community and at
Rotherham Hospital, such as access to mental health and wellbeing initiatives
to ensure they can stay as strong and resilient as possible.
Martin Havenhand, Chairman of
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The support we have seen from
individuals, businesses and community groups like the Help for Healthcare
Workers sewing group during the Covod-19 pandemic has been incredible. We’re
grateful to members of the group who have pulled out all the stops to make
masks to keep us safe. Thank you to everyone who also donated funds or material
to the group to spur them on and to colleagues who supported the mask sale.”
If colleagues or local craft
groups would like to sew more masks for the charity, please get in touch on
01709 426821 or trft.charity@nhs.net.
If further donations are received, the charity will host additional sales.
ENDS
Photo caption: Wendy Cutts, Service Manager for Outpatient
and Support Services, receiving face masks from Sally Atkinson, Patient Access
Service Manager at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.