For the Love of Scrubs
Charlie Earle who is a Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Physiology at Swansea University has been volunteering with Discovery through lockdown. Here she tells about what she has been getting up to.
“As a respiratory physiologist I have a few friends across the UK in the NHS, who work in respiratory and sleep departments and are front-line workers. I offered to make them some ear savers (to stop their ears hurting as a result of the mask elastic). A friend suggested I joined a Facebook group who were coordinating sewers in the Swansea Bay University Health Board, and it escalated from there. They are such a lovely group, and have now made just over 15,000 items for the local Health Board! I’m privileged and proud to have played a very small part in that.
Vixie, from Discovery, was a member of the same Facebook group and approached me. I didn’t know much about Discovery before this, nor did I know that Swansea University staff could volunteer as well as students. It’s such a great initiative which I will definitely promote to my students now!
When I am asked about what impact volunteering has had on me I think I would say I am proud to have contributed in some way and I hope that my sewing has made some difficult days in the NHS, a little more comfortable.
My mother lives over 250 miles away, and we’ve been sewing together online; in frustration and celebration at each other’s successes. My partner (also a Uni staff member), partner’s mother, and very close friend have sewn with me too. Together, we’ve sewn 325 items. It’s been so lovely to have loved ones support me in my efforts! Sewing has definitely kept me busy over the last 9 weeks!
To any Swansea University staff member who is thinking of volunteering with the For the love of scrubs project or any of the other Discovery projects I would say it’s been so easy, and to get reimbursement of some of my volunteering costs was such a pleasant surprise! I didn’t begin sewing for the NHS to get reimbursed, but as more people asked me to make items the cost definitely climbed! A thank you to Discovery for supporting me in my volunteering.
For anyone who wants to help support the For the love of scrubs project but can’t sew the group are in need for any material they can use for scrub caps, masks, scrubs and clothing bags. Duvets and bedding are the best, especially and children/character sets! There’s been some rather funky scrubs made by those much better at sewing than I!”
Discovery would like you to know that For the Love of Scrubs is a community group supporting NHS and care workers who are battling on the frontline by organising, creating and providing spare scrubs, caps, face masks and wash bags in order that health and care workers can safely wash contaminated clothing, helping contain the virus, and have spare clothing for their next shift. They are also producing crocheted and knitted hearts as thank you gifts to NHS staff and pairs of hearts as a comfort gift to families who are forced apart by having members in hospital or in a care home.
Discovery are working in partnership with this group to support students and university staff to volunteer their time sewing the items needed.
The Love of Scrubs also has a Just Giving page as they are in need of more money donations to by scrub materials. Here is the link: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/swanseabayuhbsouthwalesfortheloveofscrubs?fbclid=IwAR3hpOd0beBvhEsyoj6W5VC15tYdyt5Ek8bVmCr1n8ITTuRrx-wdFT93WeI
If you are a Swansea university student or staff member who would like to get involved in the Love of Scrubs project then drop an email to discovery@swansea.ac.uk . You can find all the projects that you can volunteer on during lockdown here: https://discoverysvs.org/our-projects/discoverys-projects/ or take part in virtual volunteering here: https://discoverysvs.org/our-projects/virtual-volunteering/