More than 10,000 face masks sewn by Surrey volunteer group
Posted July 4, 2020 10:31 am.
SURREY (NEWS 1130) — More than 10,000 handmade face masks have been sewn by a group of volunteers in Surrey, with plans for more masks in the works.
Kiran Saluja recruited a group of seniors to help her make the masks to address the demand for the coverings amid the pandemic.
“We started this in mid-March when there is a shortage of N95 masks,” Saluja says.
The group was hoping to help ease some demand, so medical grade masks could be saved for medical staff. The group "Sewing Army", has 20 members creating the masks. The group donates and delivers masks to hospitals, care homes, schools as well as churches and temples. @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/tOebQzuSsL
— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) July 4, 2020
During this time people rushed to buy surgical masks creating a shortage for hospitals. So the group was hoping to help ease some of the demand, hoping the medical-grade masks could be saved for medical professionals.
“I asked a couple of the seniors, they used to be busy doing their regular outings from every day and now they’re locked indoors. Some are in their apartments and can’t visit each other. We figured we’d try to do something. These fabric masks will help the general public so that they don’t drive N95’s out of stock.”
This eventually led to the creation of the “Sewing Army” group, with around 20 members creating the masks.
She says she enlisted the help of several seniors, as a way to help them keep connected with the community while staying safe.
“They used to be busy doing their regular outings every day. And then now they were locked indoors, they couldn’t go out. I go give them fabric and they can make masks.”
The group now donates and delivers reusable masks to hospitals, care homes, schools as well as churches and temples.
