Volunteers from textile students to experienced tailors have been working together to make scrubs for health workers.

And Cotswold Scrubs have been able to turn their expertise to bespoke sets of scrubs which ensure staff are wearing the correct size.

Their efforts have earned Cotswold Scrubs a nomination as a Punchline Business and Community Champion - an initiative backed by GFirst LEP, The Growth Hub, Gloucestershire County Council and Police & Crime Commissioner Martin Surl.

Last week the group cut and completed 280 scrub sets which were delivered to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Great Western Hospital in Swindon and a number of care homes.

And they are hoping to up production levels after teaming up with Cotswold Printing Company in Quedgeley to automate the process.

Cotswold Scrubs spokeswoman Daisy Noble said: "We are just a group of volunteers doing what we can.

"We have around 300 people sewing across the region from those who are finishing their A-Level textiles this year to professional tailors with more than 25 years in the business.

"We have been told that Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust use around 1200 sets of scrubs a day so all we are doing is easing the pressure with our contribution."

She continued: "We have been delighted by the response from our volunteers and overwhelmed by their can-do attitude.

"Cotswold Printing have kindly let us use their computerised cutting machine outside of working hours so we can cut a scrub kit in under two minutes. Up until this week every kit was being cut by hand."

The volunteers have responded to special and urgent requests from both individuals and a hospital.

She said: "Some carers have come to us because all they are being offered is XL scrubs and they are a size six so we have made bespoke sets to help make life a little bit easier for those people especially.

"Gloucestershire Royal Hospital contacted us on the Friday saying they would be completely out of scrubs for the critical care ward by Monday and could we help.

"Within 24 hours our sewing team had turned out 75 sets which were delivered over the weekend and laundered at the hospital ready for shifts Monday morning."

As well as scrubs, the team is making face masks and ear savers but are on the lookout for more raw materials to keep them going.

"Our fabric suppliers have done a brilliant job so far so the cost of a kit is just £3.50 of materials, then all of the time and delivery is donated by our volunteer team," she said. "Nametags4u have donated the labels which were designed by Pink Sky

"We have enough fabric now to keep sewing for a couple more weeks but then we run out so the cycle begins again and we need money to be able to get more fabric in."

You can donate to the appeal for fabric at gofundme.com/f/cotswoldscrubs 

Send us your inspiring stories - you don't have to write them, just tell us about them and we will do the rest. Email beth@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk

Punchline's Business and Community Champion Awards are sponsored by:

GFirst LEP

https://www.gfirstlep.com 

info@gfirstlep.com  

The Growth Hub Gloucestershire

https://www.thegrowthhub.biz  

talktous@thegrowthhub.biz  

Gloucestershire County Council

https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk 

customerservices@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Gloucestershire OPCC

https://www.gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk 

01452 754348