20, April, 2020

Photographs attached: 7 images in total with captions attached

Over 300 handmade laundry bags donated to NHS Tayside staff

Groups working in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Cornhill, Crieff and Dunelm Staff sew and donate over 300 laundry bags to NHS Tayside

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership said, “We are very grateful to the wider community for providing us with these laundry bags. We know there is several groups working on these in Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff and also staff from Dunelm Stores. The donated laundry bags will reduce the risk of cross contamination and infection in staff homes when they take soiled uniforms home to wash. It will also avoid staff using plastic carrier bags, which contributes to helping the environment.”

The Dunkeld community, led by Anne Colley, have worked over the past few days in conjunction with Iona Lancaster, Quality Effectiveness Lead, Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership to make over 100 laundry bags for NHS Tayside staff and delivered to Perth Royal Infirmary.

Susan Oake. RN Discharge Hub, Perth Royal Infirmary also received a donation from Dunelm staff stating, “Dunelm Staff donated 200 laundry bags which were made from pillow cases and each bag had message of support for the NHS. Each bag was made by Dunelm staff’s children. These laundry bags will be distributed throughout the Perth & Kinross area to NHS Tayside staff. Their thoughtfulness and kindness is much appreciated we thank them very much.”

Rachael Wood from Pitlochry Church of Scotland added, “Everyone in the NHS is working so hard just now to protect and help everyone, and our group feel that they need someone to help protect them and their loved ones as well. I saw on facebook that volunteers around the country were sewing individual laundry bags for uniforms/scrubs. The Pitlochry Church of Scotland knew that lots of our ladies like to sew and are very talented but are isolated at home with time on their hands.

I put out a call for help through our church facebook page and volunteers started to come forward immediately. It started with ladies from the Church, but many other people from our local community over quite a wide area have now come forward as volunteers. They are providing their own fabric, ribbon, cord and their time and talents as a thank you to the NHS for working so hard for all of us.

Like many other business owners in Pitlochry, my shop, The Christmas Emporium, is currently closed and I’m facing an uncertain future, but my priority at the moment is to support those who are looking after us so well in our hospitals, so have taken on the role of co-ordinator in Highland Perthshire for this project.”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 74071