Scrub Hub donates £7k to charity
People across the Chichester district have been banding together over the past months to help NHS frontline staff.
Chichester Scrub Hub – which was set up by chi chester College lecturer Sally GarnerGibbons and Fiona O’connor, who runs Elizabeth Turner Soft Furnishing in Aldsworth – has made hundreds of sets of scrubs for staff at St Richard’s Hospital since it was set up in April.
Along the way, they have also raised more than £15,000, with around half of that spent on materials.
Now the project is drawing to a close, Sally and Fiona have donated the remaining £7,000 to Love Your Hospital, the dedicated charity of Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in aid of the A&E department at St Richard’s Hospital.
Sally, who is a deputy head of learning for creative and performing arts at the college, said: “We have been absolutely blown away by the support of our community. It has been really awe-inspiring to see how people have come together at a time of great need.
“People have given their time, skills, equipment and money to support our local NHS hospital. It has been phenomenal.
“Having donated the last 600 or so sets of scrubs to the hospital, we knew we wanted to use the surplus donations to also give the incredible team at St Richard’s something they could use for years to come.
“We’re all so proud of our health workers. I’m glad we’ve been able to help them.”
David Clayton-evans, head of Love Your Hospital, said: “Thanks to the determination of Fiona and Sally, and the hardworking volunteers on the Chichester Scrubs production line, our hospital staff were supplied with bright and colourful handmade scrubs and laundry bags during the height of the pandemic which was a real morale boost for them.
“This amazing donation from their fundraising appeal will make such an incredible difference to the hospital experience of our A&E patients and the staff who care for them. A huge thank you to everyone who championed this wonderful community-led initiative, and for supporting your local hospital.”