Jessica Micallef
A group of creative Woodend locals have put their sewing skills to good use.
Members of the GemLife Woodend Retirement Village craft group have spent their lockdown days hand sewing hundreds of face masks for the community.
Group members started sewing masks for residents before extending their services to local businesses in need and vulnerable members of the community.
Group member Marion Borlase, a recently retired nurse, said a request from her son asking her to make him a mask, inspired the craft group’s new project.
“We thought that making face masks was a great idea, the whole craft group was very keen,” she said.
The masks were sold for $5 each, with all proceeds being used to purchase more craft material and tools.
But before sewing masks for the community, the craft group was sewing scrub caps for medical staff working on the front line at Melbourne hospitals as part of Sunbury Rotary Club’s Helping our Heroes initiative.
Group member Anne Elsbury said when the masks were first offered, they sold out within a day.
“It has been great to be able to do something like this for the community,” she said.
“Medical staff are the most at risk of being exposed to COVID-19.
“They are the heroes working every day for the rest of us and we wanted to contribute in any way we could.”
While stage three restrictions have prevented the craft group from gathering in person, members have relied on phone and video calls and email to co-ordinate their efforts.
