The Wisbech & District Talking Newspaper (W&DTN) has donated money towards scrubs that are being made for those working on the coronavirus frontline at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
The charity donated gave recently formed group For the Love of Scrubs a financial boost via the Octagon Medical Practice, which Wisbech GP surgeries Clarkson & Trinity are a part of, as well as March GP surgeries Cornerstone and Merchford House.
Anna Bunten, Octagon’s advanced nurse practitioner partner, has been in contact with a group of volunteers who live in the village of Ailsworth on the outskirts of Peterborough.
They are a working as a sub group of For the Love of Scrubs. There are 12 people in the group working hard to make medical scrubs, and, so far, they have been making them for Peterborough City Hospital (PCH) and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Having fully equipped the staff at PCH they agreed to help Octagon with its need for scrubs.
Isobel Shippey, W&DTN volunteer, said: “Across Octagon, GPs and nurse practitioners do not usually wear uniforms, and are unable to buy scrubs due to a national shortage, so they are grateful to the volunteers for their generous contributions of time and skill.”
Although the scrubs are made free of charge, Octagon needs to purchase the material. It estimates it needs three rolls of material to kit out all the necessary staff at a cost of £134 per roll.
Anna Bunten said: “The volunteers’ contribution makes such a difference to frontline workers.
“I have a set of scrubs now, and feel so much safer knowing I have clothing which can be laundered correctly.
“It is also uplifting to know we have a wealth of community support behind us and for that I have much gratitude”.
Mrs Shippey added: “Although W&DTN is unable to produce any recordings at the moment, due to the current social distancing rules, it is keen to get more listeners for its recordings.
“It currently produces fortnightly recordings of local news and a monthly ‘all-interest’ magazine.
“Its listeners do not have to have a visual problem, anyone who has difficulty in reading, whether it be for conditions such as dyslexia, or a physical reason for not being able to hold a book or newspaper, is entitled to have the recordings.
“It is a completely free service. Recordings are produced on memory sticks and sent to and from listeners postage free via Royal Mail’s Articles for the Blind service.
“The charity also provides playback machines for free, delivered by a volunteer who will demonstrate how to use the simple equipment.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to receive Talking Newspapers, please contact W&DTN’s secretary, Kim MacLachlan, on 07908 258778.
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