Mask A Friend

Community groups join efforts to make vital protective equipment

- Mike Merritt And Jackie Grant

An army of face mask makers is being assembled through an initiative set up by an enterprising Highlands businesswoman.

Founded by Clare Campbell, who runs a textiles manufacturing business in Evanton, Easter Ross, communities are organising themselves through a website to make non-medical grade face masks in the pandemic.

The UK effort is being co-ordinated via www.ukfreemasks.com, which aims to match up those who are making masks from spare material with users who need some form of additional protection in the community.

The website is free to use and operated on a voluntary basis.

Clare said: “In Scotland, we had a call from local authority councillor Kirsteen Currie to ask members of her local community to make masks for use by community volunteers, who are in contact with many people on a daily basis.