Scrubs love in Caithness and Sutherland

A Far North craftswoman is helping coordinate a campaign to make medical clothing – known as scrubs – for the local emergency services during the coronavirus crisis.

Lindsay Broomfield, who originally comes from Wick and now lives in Thurso, saw that NHS staff in in Caithness and north Sutherland were facing a shortage of the necessary work wear needed to fight Covid-19.

"The idea originally came from a nurse who realised, a few weeks ago, this [shortage] was going to happen," she said.

"It's a bit like making costumes for a big stage show or film production but sadly this isn't make-believe."

Lindsay, a costumier for stage and screen, recently worked on kitting out the actors for Far North Films' production Playhouse, based at Freswick Castle, but is now leading the initiative to create scrubs together with a group of talented local craftspeople – or makers – along with lead nurse Nikki MacKenzie from the Wick Covid-19 assessment hub.

For the Love of Scrubs (FTLOS) was an initiative originally launched on Facebook by NHS nurse Ashleigh Linsdell who sews along with her husband George.

"She could see the lack of scrubs in hospitals and put out a plea for others who could sew to start sewing," said Lindsay.

The initiative grew quickly and, to help with the organising, a Scottish lead group was set up by Mirka and Maja Jankowska with admin and procurement support from Clare Boyle and Holly Baxter-Weir.

It is now a well-organised group with local coordinators for each hospital or region managing a team of local makers.

Lindsay coordinates the creation and delivery of scrubs for the FTLOS Caithness and north-east Sutherland area.

J & J Walker in Dornoch and Welders Caps Scotland in Bonar Bridge have volunteered to cut the material into shape which means the scrub sets are ready to sew, making for a faster turnaround.

Lindsay said: "Before this, local makers were already making sets via their own purchases of fabric and material kindly donated by Elizabeth's in Thurso.

"Caithness and north-east Sutherland makers are now well on the way to filling a gap in the scrubs supply chain."

Lindsay has already smashed a local fundraising initiative to purchase the fabric and sewing supplies needed to construct new scrubs and gowns to dispatch to the NHS hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes of Caithness and north Sutherland.

"We had a £900 goal but have gone well beyond that now," she said.

"I've had so many requests from so many places beyond Caithness and Sutherland that we'll be helping them as much as we can too."

Donations can be made at www.gofundme.com/f/for-the-love-of-scrubs-caithness-amp-sutherland

Helen Singleton, who donated £50, wrote on the page: "My hubbie needs constant treatment in Caithness General Hospital and we have wanted to be able to give something back for a while. So happy we can do so now, but sad that it is needed."

Anyone can contribute to the fabric fund or make a request for scrubs – or, if you are already making scrubs, get them collected – via the FTLOS NHS Scotland website at www.fortheloveofscrubs.scot

Lindsay can be contacted directly at info@stitchyourstyle.co.uk

Click here for more news from The Northern Times

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.