We have a legacy from COVID but it's a positive one!
During that time we coordinated volunteers to make items for key workers. The requests for scrubs and accessories kept coming for 18 months! We had said we would keep going whilst the requests continued and we did.
The amazing volunteers working from home produced 33,000 item!
Most of them went back to life when the country opened up again, with our eternal thanks for their dedication.
However, there were a small number of angels that wanted to keep making items for the community. No problem! We had started up the SuPer Project, having the menstrual pads made by volunteers keeps costs down and allows us to give them away to people in period poverty.
We also responded to new requests for drain bags and heart cushions from the hospital, along with a request for toiletry bags to be filled with toiletries for women entering refuges.
Our fabulous 'Sewers in the Wild' (my nickname for our volunteers working from home) work at their own pace, sometimes we drop off supplies and don't hear from them for a couple of months as they fit the making around family life. However the constant trickle of collections allows us to maintain stocks so that we are able to respond quickly to requests.
Jane and the team also fit some making in between other jobs at All Souls. We usually sew on Tuesday mornings, we would welcome anyone who wants to help with this - it's not a class so you will need some sewing skills and want to get some practice in.
It's such a boost to know that this community making is still really valued, bringing smiles every time we drop off to recipients.