Mothers' Union members throughout the UK are helping with the COVID-19 crisis as this inspiring press release from Mary Sumner House shows:
Mothers' Union mobilises its 55,000 strong UK and Ireland membership to support front line workers during Covid-19
Across the country, local Mothers’ Union branch members have stepped up their support for their local communities during Covid-19 and are crafting 1000’s of new essential items every week, including handmade scrubs, ear protectors, scrub bags, masks and mask straps.
Working safely around the clock, in isolation, but in partnership, members are fulfilling local requests from front line NHS staff in hospitals, who are finding it even harder to access these essentials, as well as from staff in community care settings, including care homes, hospices and in mental health.
Self-protection and care for others has always been vital for key workers, but never more so than now. At home too, Mothers’ Union’s Scrubs and Scrubs bags help ensure that staff can remove all clothing and keep it safely in a bag, reducing the possibility of infection in the home, keeping their families and households safe, which is what Mothers’ Union is all about.
Hilary Castle, Diocesan President of York explains further: “Luckily, because we use craft in many of our community projects throughout the year, most of our members have sewing machines and equipment. Where materials are available, it is being ordered and delivered and donations are coming in from the community. We have fewer pillow cases and sheets in the houses of our members right now! My branch alone has made over 200 items, everything we produce is washed at over 60 degrees and sealed in bags. Thanks to our existing networks, we are either safely delivering these to those in need or leaving them outside our houses for key workers to collect at set times.
In a message from the Emergency Department at York Hospital, the team thanked the Mothers' Union in York Province for the donation of handmade bags: “We can put our uniform in them after our shift and put them straight in the washing machine once home so there is limited contact with the uniforms. Thank you for thinking of us.”
In the Diocese of Leeds, well over a thousand items for frontline workers have been produced. Jean Thurman, Diocesan President for Leeds said: “All across Yorkshire we have been working with the local community and through partnerships to ensure what we’re making and doing is getting to where it is needed, quickly and safely.
We are also producing headbands and ear protectors for care staff that are wearing masks all day long helping them feel that bit more comfortable. They are putting themselves at risk and doing such a tremendous job, it’s the least we can do”
It’s not just frontline staff within the community that we are supporting - in prisons too, the power of our partnerships is proving invaluable.
Rosie Stiven, Diocesan President of Mothers' Union in Dorset and Wiltshire,“We’ve always had a strong connection with our local prisons so when the call came that they wanted to do their bit to support the community we just knew we had to respond. We are mobilizing our local branches to source sewing machines so that prisoners can make scrubs for frontline workers and feel actively engaged in supporting vital community work at this difficult time
Mothers’ Union continues to evolve their existing partnerships to overcome the obstacles that COVID-19 represents. It allows us to make sure that we continue to address current needs and champion the most vulnerable in our communities.
In Llandaff, Mothers’ Union members have been giving a little extra loving care with knitted hearts for NHS Hospital Coronavirus wards. Liz Jones, Diocesan Vice President Morgannwg Archdeaconry has already made and donated 14 pairs of hearts (some knitted, some sewn) to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, with other members providing hearts for Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. Sue Rivers, Diocesan President for Llandaff said: “Visiting restrictions during Covid-19 mean that many patients and their families are separated at the worst possible time, but hospital staff are trying to ease the pain by giving each family a special keepsake. Matching pairs of knitted hearts are given to the patient and their family, so that people can feel more connected with their relatives. The hearts are posted to each family, with a small greetings card.
Having something to touch and hold, and knowing that their relative has the exact matching heart with them during the last hours of their life is incredibly special and it helps people to process their grief. It brings comfort to families at a time of great distress. Hearts are made in all sorts of designs, knitted, crocheted and sewn fabric.”
Many other Mothers’ Union branches across the UK and Ireland are supporting patients and families, in hospitals, care homes and hospices through the production of these hearts, giving a little hope and love in difficult times.
These are just some examples of the many groups producing items and supporting our key workers across UK and Ireland, Mothers’ Union Chief Executive, Bev Jullien said: The response from our membership has been overwhelming but not surprising. The rallying call from the movement was, stay safe but wherever people need help, we’re there for them. Mothers’ Union has always responded to community needs, and our response to Covid-19 sums it up – we do whatever is needed by the communities we are a part of, in partnership with others, to ensure the most effective response, we always have and always will.”