Essex-based, Gemma Corston Love, General Manager of The Quart Pot in Wickford, has coordinated a team of crafters who have made over 600 scrubs for frontline healthcare workers in the Southend and Basildon area. The NHS is struggling with a nationwide deficit of Personal Protective Equipment, including scrubs, for teams working closely with Coronavirus patients.

Gemma is part of the South Essex Sew4Community hub which was formed to contribute to the For The Love Of Scrubs – Our NHS Needs You Facebook group. This group was formed to facilitate those who are able to, and would like to contribute towards supplying hospitals local to themselves with scrubs for frontline workers, during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Gemma, who is on furlough leave from her position as General Manager at the Quart Pot, on Runwell Road in Wickford, decided to join the fight against COVID-19 after coming across the Facebook Group. At the beginning of lockdown Gemma and her team from the pub donated the leftover food stock to their local homeless shelter and have been hosting weekly online quizzes for their customers since. Gemma was also part of the team, who fundraised over £13,000 for the families of Stonegate Pub Company colleagues tragically taken by COVID-19, by taking part in a virtual journey travelling the length and breadth of the country – the equivalent distance between all their pubs.

Gemma said, “Whilst on furlough, I have just tried to find different ways of giving back to those in need and helping my local community. I hope that we can make a real difference to our amazing healthcare workers and help them to continue to do the incredible job they are doing for the people of this country. I can’t thank them enough for the work they do for us every day, but hopefully, this small gesture goes some way to show all of our appreciation.”

To date, the For The Love Of Scrubs – Our NHS needs you Facebook Group has over 52,000 members and has crowd-funded nearly £38,000 for the cause. To make a donation, follow this link: http://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fortheloveofscrubs?utm_term=XXYBnAWKn