We're all in this TOGETHER

The lockdown has left many feeling isolated and alone, but in our communities, great kindness is emerging. Here, three women explain how they’re helping those in need

- KIM WILLIS, KARA O'NEILL

Helen Vincent, 47, lives in Claygate, Surrey

It was just after we’d gone into lockdown, in early April, when I spotted an article on the BBC News website about a voluntary community project called Scrub Hub. It was asking keen sewers to help sew made-to-order scrubs for NHS staff and care workers who were struggling to get hold of personal protective equipment (PPE).

I’d dabbled with dressmaking when my daughter Phoebe, 10, was little and thought I could be of help. And when I saw my community didn’t have its own regional hub, I volunteered to set it up, and be the point of contact.

I started by contacting a few friends who I knew loved to sew, and Scrub Hub added my name and email address to its directory. I printed off the patterns it provided on the website and began ordering fabric.