A small army of sewers, stitchers and crocheters on the peninsula have been doing their bit to support frontline carers and NHS staff.

Inspired by a call for help by Facebook group 'Sew Scrubs For NHS Ipswich Hospital' a group of nimble fingered (mainly) ladies have put together scrubs, headbands for ear protectors, face masks and uniform bags, supported by drivers and coordinators.

Sewing machines, 3D printers, scissors, and knitting needles, were the weapons of choice with materials, begged, bought and recycled then presented to Ipswich Hospital, care homes, community carers and GP surgeries.

The peninsula production crew is part of a Suffolk-wide movement of volunteers who have been putting their skills into practice.

In total 380 complete sets of scrubs have been completed and delivered to the Heath Road hospital, with another 100 in the pipeline.

Another 118 sets of scrubs have gone to non-hospital settings, and a total of 550 headbands and 180 uniform bags have been made.

The group was put together by Adriana Watson along with Kate Mason, who are based at Ipswich Hospital, and they were quickly joined by another five ladies as the project grew, and they now have a team of 70.

Using templates provided, the scrubs are sewn together by the volunteers, that include Women's Institute members from Shotley, school administrators, and a seamstress on the peninsula.

We sew scrubs for Ipswich Hospital to specifications they have provided," said Adriana. "Fabric is either bought through our Just Giving funds, some sewers buy their own or use their "stashes", others have fabric donated by people who buy online and have it delivered to them or we receive fabrics people have had in their attics and other storage places.

"The generosity of the community is unbelievable and very humbling. 

"These are completely funded by generous sewers who use their own fabric or fabric donated for hospital scrubs that are mostly too light weight.

"We have sewers who have had bed linen donated – it is the perfect fabric."

Scrubs is not all the helpers are doing as it has been discovered people who wear masks find that their ears get really sore – so headbands with buttons or crochet mask extenders, are being created and for staff who work in their uniforms (not scrubs) uniform bags are being provided as well. 

Elaine Fleming and Marian Pugh, two Shotley & Erwarton WI members have roped in their menfolk Robert and Geraint, respectively, to model the scrubs to make sure they were up to standard.

Elaine said: "It was just my way of saying a big thank you to the amazing NHS workers.†

Marian added: "We wanted to play our part while we could. I have a sewing machine, the template was sent and I could use Elaine's experience as she had already done one."

Stutton seamstress Sarah Cooper provided her skills free of charge to make drawstring bags to keep single protective items so they can be safely taken to be washed.

Sarah runs a curtain, roman blind and upholstery business, so has used some of her own material, bolstered by a donation from her regular suppliers, and has been supplied with ribbon, elastic, buttons and jersey fabric to make ear protector headbands, delivered by volunteer drivers.

With help from her 13-year-old daughter, using the experience as part of her design and technology lesson,Sarah has got through lots of material and has asked: "If anyone on the peninsula has any ribbon (of between 1 and 2cm wide) available for me to use (and is of course passing) I shall be putting a box out the front of my driveway on the main road in Stutton at Primrose Cottage (opposite Larksfield Road).†

Denise Tinker admitted she was not a natural 'sewing bee' but after seeing a plea from peninsula ambulance paramedic Kate Whiting decided to get involved, even if it meant discolouring her husband Sean's clothes.

"A 25-metre roll of hospital standard red material turned up on my doorstop along with a pattern. first things first it needed to be washed at 60* for shrinkage and for the dye to hold, even the husbands running socks are now red," admitted Denise who works at Holbrook Academy.

"It certainly was daunting at first, am I doing it right, are the seams neat enough etc? But lo and behold I am making scrubs for well needed PPE to keep our fabulous NHS and key workers safe at these times."

Denise has also been focussing on coordinating the production of crochet ear following Kate's shout out.

She added: "We have had a fabulous response from a great team of ladies, Tina, Alison, Sophie, Jane, Emily to name a few that are crocheting the strips, sewing buttons on, supplying the buttons as well as delivering and collecting things, we even have an 83-year-old granny sewing our buttons on and she was so keen her granddaughter has put her own shout out for her to be available to sew any on for others helping.

"Richard and Steven were both able to help us with the ear protectors by using their 3D printers, which is again wonderful.

"Holbrook Academy was able to support the need for face visors by sending in their unwanted OHPs, these have been used by Ipswich School and others to complete orders.

"It makes me proud to help but also proud to know that when we are in situations like this we all pull together to help and support each other."

You can get involved or make a donation by going to ScrubsForCarers

(To see more pictures scroll arrow right on main pic at the top)