COVID carers touched by Mid Argyll kindness

Under-pressure NHS staff caring for COVID-19 patients were close to tears when a batch of much-needed protective clothing was donated by a sewing group from Mid Argyll.

The volunteer group ‘Let’s Get Scrubbing for the NHS’ was set up when the corovirus pandemic arrived and consists of around 60 volunteers making protective clothing – or ‘scrubs’ – face coverings, laundry bags and more.

The group’s founder and co-ordinator Nikki Thompson said: ‘We’ve made approximately 700 sets of scrubs and tunics, hundreds of personal laundry bags, padded hearts, mask bands and around 200 face coverings so far.

‘We have sent them to Mid Argyll Hospital, Campbeltown Hospital, Lorne Campbell Court, Tarbert Medical Centre,

‘They will really make a difference to the staff. They are really struggling just now. Thank you, and your team, so much.’

Ardfenaig residential home, Argyll and Bute Council home carers in Kintyre and Mid Argyll, Glasgow’s Gartnavel and Queen Elizabeth University hospitals and the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley. And we are working on an order this week for Pulteney House NHS care home in Wick.

‘We also donated a large quantity of mask headbands to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.’

On Tuesday this week, Nikki received a call from the clinical services manager at the RAH, Stephanie Leca, who said intensive care staff were suffering on Monday because of the extreme heat in the hospital, plus wearing full PPE all day.

Running out of uniform scrubs to change into, they were delighted when a scrubs delivery from Mid Argyll arrived – so much so that they ‘nearly burst into tears’.

Stephanie told Nikki: ‘They will really make a difference to the staff. They are really struggling just now. Thank you, and your team, so much.’

The scrubs will be worn by front line staff in COVID and non-COVID intensive care wards.

‘It just melts my heart to think our wee sewing team has made such a massive difference to the NHS doctors and nurses at the RAH,’ said Nikki.

The group is supported by West Coast Motors, which provides a contact-free pick up and drop off service for scrubs and materials.