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Teachers and volunteers take over school corridors to manufacture hospital scrubs

Donated bed linens and other up-cycled cottons and poly-cottons are being used.

A school has become a production line making scrubs for the NHS and front line health staff.

Teachers and volunteers have taken over the corridors at Hyndland Secondary School to make the garments.

Donated bed linens and other up-cycled cottons and poly-cottons are being used.

 Kay Muir is one of the volunteers making use of the secondary school. Photo: Kay Muir
Kay Muir is one of the volunteers making use of the secondary school. Photo: Kay Muir

The team, which includes teachers and college staff, is abiding by strict guidelines.

Everyone is keeping to their 2-metre distance and using different parts of the school building.

Corridors are being used to cut the materials and sewing machines in classrooms are bringing the scrubs together.

Production line

The production line has been inspired by fashion lecturer Kay Muir from Bishopbriggs.

She wanted to do her bit for the pandemic emergency after seeing her medic niece delivering scrubs.

Use of the school was arranged by Kay's neighbour Shirley McIlroy who is a principal teacher in health, food and textiles at Hyndland.

 Teacher Shirley McIlroy cutting out shapes in the school corridor. Photo: Kay Muir
Teacher Shirley McIlroy cutting out shapes in the school corridor. Photo: Kay Muir

Kay told Glasgow West End Today: "We have been working away over the Easter break.

"We are just a team of volunteers - friends and family - making the garments.

"Some of us are working in school and some are at home.

"Everyone is wanting to do what they can to help the NHS and frontline staff."

Kay works in the fashion and textiles department at Kelvin College in Springburn.

Many of the volunteers are bringing professional skills to the project.

 Every available space is being used to manufacture the scrubs. Photo: Kay Muir
Every available space is being used to manufacture the scrubs. Photo: Kay Muir

Everything they make is being distributed by MedSupplyDriveUK-Scotland.

The charity has been procuring donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) from companies and business for use in hospitals.

Kay said donations of good quality bed-linen was still welcomed.

Supplies can be dropped off at the school from next Monday after the Easter holiday.

Volunteers ask that linen is:

* Cotton or poly-cotton and in good condition.

* Pre-washed at 60 degrees celsius before being dropped off.

* Ironed and neatly folded.

* And securely wrapped to keep the material clean.

 Another volunteer helps create the patterns. Photo: Kay Muir
Another volunteer helps create the patterns. Photo: Kay Muir

Kay said: "We've had some wonderfully whacky designs donated such as characters from Frozen and Spiderman, which would be really good for staff working on a children's ward.

"All we ask is that people wash the bed linen before they hand it over.

"It would also be great if they could iron it and wrap it up well in a plastic bag to keep it clean.

'Concentrate'

"That way it allows us to concentrate on turning the donations into scrubs."

Meanwhile, Glasgow Taxis Ltd is providing free delivery of supplies for MedSupplyDriveUK-Scotland.

The company picked up supplies of fabric this week that were donated by East Kilbride-based Corston Sinclair Ltd.

The fabric was dropped off at Hyndland Secondary for the volunteers to turn into scrubs.

 Pinning hope: A volunteer busy at work at Hyndland Secondary School. Photo: Kay Muir
Pinning hope: A volunteer busy at work at Hyndland Secondary School. Photo: Kay Muir

Jim Smith, Glasgow Taxis vice-chairman, said: “Everyone at Glasgow Taxis are doing their bit to support the NHS and so it was a no-brainer to help MedSupplyDrive-Scotland and hand in these supplies to help the people who need it most.”

A spokesman for MedSupplyDriveUK-Scotland said it was grateful for the efforts of all the volunteers working at the Hyndland hub.

Rob Gray, MedSupplyDriveUK-Scotland, added: “We set this up because we know that frontline NHS workers battling the COVID-19 crisis in Scotland need help.

'Delighted'

“We are urgently appealing for personal protective equipment (PPE) in Scotland to be donated directly to local healthcare facilities, to protect frontline NHS staff and their patients.

“Anything donated may ultimately save a life – we were delighted to work with Glasgow Taxis to ensure the safe delivery of these goods from our friends at Corston Sinclair in East Kilbride to our Glasgow West End hub at Hyndland Secondary.”

A gofundme page for MedSupplyDriveUK-Scotland can be found here. Hyndland Secondary is on Lauderdale Gardens. Donations can be dropped off with the janitor between 10am and noon from Monday April 20.

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