How volunteers at Leeds community workspace are helping in fight against coronavirus

Otley maker space volunteers have created more than 200 sets of scrubs for the care providers in the market town including care homes and GP surgeries.

Andi Petch, scrubs team coordinator, said: "This is a phenomenal achievement by our volunteers who are all keen to make a difference. We didn't have a particular target in mind when we started making the scrubs we just wanted to do our bit and will continue as long as the need is there.

Andi said there were inspirational stories behind the team’s motivations.

"At the start of the project I sorted through all the fabric we had in the maker space to see what would be suitable. We had received a large donation of fabric from Anna who had attended one of our workshops. Her friend, Pam Fortune had sadly passed away and her very impressive collection of fabric needed a new home. Four months on, Antonia, Pam's daughter

recognised her mum's fabric in a photograph of scrubs on our Facebook page and got in contact with us.

Andi added: "We have made 35 sets of scrubs from Pam's fabric and as our focus moves on to making face masks we will be utilising even more of her very generous donation.”

Pam's daughter, Antonia, said “I recognised the distinctive blue and white striped fabric that is actually Danish hospital fabric. I was so pleased to see that my mum’s fabric had been put to such good use. She was an accomplished seamstress and would be so happy knowing that her fabric is making the scrubs for the people who cared for her during the last nine weeks of

her life.

"My sisters and I are delighted that the volunteers at Otley Maker Space have helped to create such a special legacy for mum."

Otley Maker Space is based at The Courthouse on Courthouse Street in Otley.

For more on their work visit their facebook page: facebook.com/Otleymakerspace/