Isle of Wight's sewing machine army's scrubs and bags for coronavirus frontline

Scores of nimble-fingered Islanders are using donated fabric - and material bought with cash donations - to supply clothing and other items to hospice and key workers.

Charlotte Rothwell is running a JustGiving page, set up to raise money to buy fabric for the essential medical clothing kits. 

She said: “My sister manages Mountbatten Hampshire - linked to the Isle of Wight’s. My daughter is a student nurse working on an intensive care unit. The hospice said, ‘What we really need is scrubs’. They need so many at the moment and have been struggling to get hold of them. The Southampton hospice needed about 60 sets. It is quite a mission!” 

The fundraising page quickly reached - and exceeded - its £500 goal. Find the JustGiving page HERE. The volunteers say they will continue to sew while the cash is there and it is hoped that some of the clothing will be used at the Isle of Wight's Mountbatten. 

Cowes-based Andrea Longford is juggling her new seamstress role with home-school and running The Caledon Guest House, alongside her husband. 

She told the Isle of Wight County Press: “I roped in my mum and my auntie. One of our housekeepers - Rose - sews as well. A mixture of retired ladies and quite a few mums are involved. Everyone’s at different levels. I’ve just emailed the pattern to even more ladies!"

Mountbatten, in Newport, is co-ordinating a number of services as the Isle of Wight battles coronavirus. The hospice is working with vulnerable and elderly people, both at its main site and in the community.

Read more: Mountbatten boss's donation plea: 'We need your support more than ever'

Once the scrubs are worn, they need to be washed and a creative solution is meeting the need to contain possible infection.

Around 40 Islanders are making drawstring bags for uniforms, so they can go straight into the washing machine. It eliminates the need for other people to touch the essential workwear.

From her home in Lake, Barb Gamble is overseeing the making and distribution of the bags - along with buttoned headbands that can be used to attach facemasks. 

She said: “We’re making bags for the NHS and key workers  - including those in supermarkets, police officers and dentists. At the end of their shift they can change, put their uniform in a drawstring bang and throw it into the washing machine."

Islanders can help by donating fabric scraps and other items. 

Barb said: “We need elastic that is three quarters of an inch thick; cotton, or polycotton, that can be washed to 60 degrees; cord or ribbon. Anything like that would be gratefully received.”

Email barb.gamble@aol.com for more details.

Meanwhile, WI member Sandra Thearle is in isolation in Freshwater and says sewing bags and headbands has made her feel useful. 

She told the County Press said: “There are a lot of us on WIs that are involved. I’ve had people dropping off duvets, sheets - anything we can make these bags from - and offering to sew them.”

By Wednesday, (April 15th), more than 2000 bags had been sent out, including to a nursing home that had ordered 100 of them.