Since the coronavirus became a worldwide pandemic, healthcare workers rely more than ever on personal protective equipment to keep them safe while saving lives.
With NHS staff finding it harder to get PPE kits to treat COVID-19 patients while risking their own lives, people in the UK have took it upon themselves to support the NHS by creating PPE.
Scrub Hub Liverpool make scrubs, washbags and headbands for NHS staff across Liverpool, we caught up with Co-Founder Samantha Taylor to find out more.
Tell us more about yourself and Scrub Hub Liverpool?
I am currently leading the fashion department at studio@deyes in Wavertree which is due to close August 2020. As the UK went on lockdown at the start of April, I wanted to help the NHS by making scrubs and after seeing ‘Scrub Hub’ advertised online I decided to have a look on their website.
Seeing the lack of PPE not only locals but across the UK, I noticed they did not have a Hub in Liverpool, so I took the opportunity to start one up for people in the Liverpool area.
Through adding my contact details to the Liverpool Scrub website and setting up a Facebook and fundraising page I got a great response from people in the local area wanting to get involved and donate.
How is Scrub Hub Liverpool funded?
At the beginning I used my own money to buy enough fabric to make 10 scrubs for the NHS, the fabric wholesalers that has affordable and suitable fabric sold out very quickly.
I then came into the problem of affording and sourcing enough fabric for volunteers and orders I was receiving from Liverpool hospitals, surgery’s and care homes. People were generous on my fundraising page, but each scrub take 3.25m of cotton drill or polycotton as they need to be able to be washed at 60degrees to kill all germs.
We also started wash bags and head bands that volunteers without over-lookers could help to make. This was also an option for volunteers who could not afford their own fabric while we waited for more fundraising.
Ian Byrne the MP of West Derby who is the co-founder of Fans supporting foodbanks heard about us and came in to see us. Ian has supported us a lot by donating a large amount of money towards fabrics, which has meant that production going with our local seamstresses and in affect produce more scrubs to help NHS workers.
How successful has Scrub Hub Liverpool been?
It has grown so much is such a short space of time, I have been able to create a network of seamstresses and volunteers across Liverpool, which is growing every day.
Each of our scrub sets, bands and wash bags are made with love and to last. We are currently producing over 80 scrubs a week to fulfill the high demand of orders we are receiving. We have the team of sewers and the demand is certainly there but we need help to finance this project. We are currently running a raffle to help raise money to go towards fabrics on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Due to the nationwide lock down we are operating a small and concise system to help at least a few NHS and social care workers in the Liverpool region. Also due to the community scale we are working at and the demand we have received, we are offering 10 uniforms per order or 2 per person.
We can’t currently offer bulk orders from trusts or wards at this time. We are here to plug the gap as an emergency helping hand for health care professionals who are without scrubs during this crisis, so we would appreciate if you only make request if you think that applies to you.
We have also had Johnny Vegas help source fabrics that local business has been able to donate, and he has helped delivery scrubs to Hospitals.
How can people get involved and help donate?
We are volunteer run and can’t technically sell the scrubs but we have set up a fundraiser page www.facebook.com/donate/322897362021381/102952511385204/ to help cover fabric ect costs.
Any money left at the end of the shortage will be donated to NHS Practitioners health. /www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk
To keep up to date follow
Facebook page : www.facebook.com/pg/ScrubHubLiverpool/about/?ref=page_internal
Instagram page: @scrubhub_liverpool
