Charity shop managers make scrubs and head bands for NHS

Store managers from The Salvation Army’s trading company, have been pulling together and using their sewing skills to make and donate vital supplies for hospitals.

From handmade scrubs and headbands, which protect the ears of NHS staff that must wear tight masks, to collecting toiletries for hospital wards, managers up and down the country have used their time to give something back to those on the front line.

Jan Eckersley, manager of the Salvation Army Trading Company (SATCoL) donation centre in Bolton, Greater Manchester, is one of the managers who has put her skills to good use. Jan said: “Keeping busy whilst helping others has been key for me and I have been sewing scrubs for the NHS.

“My projects are usually to upcycle clothing, giving a garment a new lease of life so sewing items that have been cut from a pattern has been somewhat challenging, however, if I felt overloaded I thought about the people who would be wearing the scrubs and the difficulties and sacrifices they were making for the sake of caring for others.”

Other areas of support include a craft project from Elaine Robison, cluster manager from Edinburgh, Scotland, and her 86-year-old mother, who created a tribute to the NHS outside their home from 600 handmade ribbon roses.

Money raised from SATCoL clothing banks and charity shops raised £9m for the church and charity last year and the shortfall due to the lockdown is estimated at running into the millions of pounds, at a time when demand for help from those hardest hit by the coronavirus is rising.