Ballycran members sewing scrubs for frontline workers

Ballycran members sewing scrubs for frontline workers

6 May 2020

SCRUBS made by a group of women from St Joseph’s GAA Club in Ballycran are now being worn in the Belfast Nightingale Hospital and several local nursing homes and medical centres.

The colourful easy wash garments are brightening up NHS nurses and care workers as they look after patients and residents during the coronavirus lockdown.

Some lucky frontline staff are wearing Manchester United scrubs or Paws Patrol made from themed duvets.

Mrs Marguerite Fowler, sister of club chairperson Shane Gilmore, is co-ordinating the cross-community effort.

The core group of sewers are Pamela McGourty, Brenda Coyle, Madeline Bell, Ann Moan, Anne O’Brien, Madeline Braniff, Caitlin Savage, Fiona Gilmore and Geraldine McGrattan. However, more sewers are coming on to help out as word spreads about the initiative.

The club put out a call for people to help with the sewing and donations of material and were overwhelmed with the response.

Mrs Fowler explained that the group came about after she was approached privately by some people if she knew anyone who could provide scrubs.

“We started at the beginning of the month and so far we have made scrubs for four nursing homes, including Barrhall Residential Home in Portaferry, and supplied scrubs to Loughview Medical Centre in Kircubbin and Ballywalter Health Centre.

“We have also supplied scrubs to nurses at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald as well to nurses in the Nightingale Hospital in Belfast City Tower Block through my sister-in-law’s niece who is a nurse. We are now filling orders from Positive Futures, a group who visit people with learning disabilities who vulnerable, in their own homes and had absolutely no protective gear. They find scrubs are so much easier to wash and dry than their own clothes.”

She said that while the GAA club put the initial call out for help and donations of material, it was very much a community effort.

GAA clubs in Portaferry and Ballygalget have also donated duvets sheets and other items, already washed and ready to sew.

“We are also very excited about a delivery of brand new fabric, funded by a grant negotiated by Iain Bell from Kircubbin and District Community Association and we thank him for his generous help.”

Scrubs provided are free of charge, but the group do like to see photographs of staff wearing them afterwards.

Mrs Fowler said the group are able to take requests for specific sizes which might otherwise be difficult to get and they can be contacted via the Ballycran Facebook page.