Voluntary group Hide a Smile could not stop grinning after raising £6,188 making face coverings.
The donations to East Cheshire Hospice are being collected at Prestbury Village Pharmacy where masks are still available to buy.
Some 19 sewing enthusiasts joined a WhatsApp group after founder Sheila MacLaren spread the word on social media over a year ago that virus protection was needed.
Hide a Smile members (from left) Sue Matykiewicz, Sheila MacLaren and Caroline Harrison-Croft with pharmacist David Wood.
Sheila, a semi-retired structural engineer, said: “I blew the dust off my sewing machine and we started off making scrubs for clinical staff before concentrating on face coverings.
“Fabric was donated and Covid restrictions meant we had pick-up and drop-off points to keep the production line in full swing.”
Pharmacist David Wood and his staff gave out 1,200 coverings in return for an average donation of £5 to a collection box.
He said: “It’s a great community story borne out of necessity at a time when there were no masks or even hand gel.
“As a community pharmacy, it was a natural place to distribute masks, especially as there weren’t many other shops open.”
Volunteer Caroline Harrison-Croft, who owned a garment design company, said: “I’ve always sewn and it was pretty boring at first during lockdown so I was delighted to help. The masks are washable and environmentally friendly.”
Another volunteer Sue Matykiewicz said: “Our group still haven’t met up yet. We’d like to thank everyone for their efforts and those who donated to support the Hospice.”
Hide a Smile also made coverings for pupils at Fallibroome Academy.
Hide a Smile volunteer Judy Biggin wearing one of the coverings she made.
Back to all newsThank you so much for choosing to support East Cheshire Hospice. You may never know how much your gift means, but we know that it will make the world of difference to our patients and their families.
