Volunteer group led by retired Halton midwife sew 60 sets of scrubs for Morecambe Bay health staff

“The response has been overwhelming," said former Royal Lancaster Infirmary midwife Sandra Lively, who has lived in Halton for 30 years.

“So many people want to participate in different ways."

Morecambe Bay Scrubs is a sub-group of “FOR THE LOVE OF SCRUBS” - a group of volunteers making sanitary clothing for NHS staff.

The group was initially started by Ashleigh Lindall, an NHS Nurse in Lincolnshire, in response to a national shortage of scrubs for hospital staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff are changing uniforms more frequently, retired medical and nursing staff are returning to practice and hospital staff who would not usually wear uniform are now doing so to help reduce the spread of the virus.

Sandra said she wanted to do her bit by making a few pairs of scrubs and donating them to the staff at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust.

She enquired about purchasing fabric from fabric printer Standfast & Barracks in Caton Road, Lancaster, just enough to make two or three pairs, and said she was stunned when the company offered a donation of 1,000 metres of fabric - enough to make 300 pairs of scrubs.

There was no co-ordinator in this area so Sandra decided to take up the challenge and started appealing for help.

Within seven days, the new ‘Morecambe Bay Scrubs’ group was formed and more than 60 volunteers have registered.

The first 60 sets of scrubs were delivered to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on Thursday April 16, with another batch due to be ready next week.

Linda Frankland, secretary at St Wilfrid's Primary School in Halton, has been providing admin support, liaising between Sandra and all the volunteers and arranging a schedule for collection and delivery of sewing packs, and keeping everyone updated on the group's Facebook page Morecambe Bay Scrubs.

Lancastle in Halton have also provided help by cutting all the fabric into pattern pieces and packing them ready to be dispatched from The Centre@Halton, which has become the hub of the venture.

From there the team of sewers collect their packs and other volunteers collect to deliver to those who may be self-isolating or unable to collect.

Sandra added: “The community spirit has been truly inspirational.

“We do not know how long our services may be required, but we plan to be here for as long as we are needed or until our supplies expire.

"Any offers of donations of fabric, sewing thread and trouser cord would be gratefully considered.

"We have considered cross infection and written guidelines for everyone about handling the sewing packs and their contents to minimise the spread of Covid-19.

"Many of our sewers are self-isolating due to age or medical reasons and this is a brilliant way of enabling them to support our NHS heroes, whilst still protecting themselves."

If anyone would like to join the volunteer group they can email: [email protected].

Anyone living outside the Lancaster and Morecambe area but would like any help or advice about starting their own group, can also get in touch.