A WOMAN in Holsworthy has been putting her sewing skills to good use during lockdown, supplying health services across the Post area and beyond with fabric bags and face masks.

Debbie De Ste Croix from Holsworthy has used her free time to put together fabric bags for health workers, to carry their contaminated scrubs or uniforms. This can then be washed without having to be removed from the bag.

As Debbie had to close her foot and health clinic business four weeks ago, she wanted to use her spare time effectively.

Being a member of Bude Baggers morsbag group — a group of sewing enthusiasts that take recycled fabrics and make plastic-less bags — Debbie knew how to sew fabric into a usable bag.

One of the nurses at Holsworthy Medical Centre asked Debbie if she could sew her a bag, to put her scrubs straight in the washing machine.

Debbie then decided to make one for several of the doctors and nurses at the practice and she said it ‘went down a storm’.

Since then, Debbie has had requests from across the Post area, from various medical practices to North Devon Hospital wards.

As the requests have grown, so has the list of those willing to help. People Debbie didn’t know got in touch to ask if they could help. She then proceeded to make a Facebook group so people could activity get involved and help where they could.

So far Debbie’s ‘Scrubs bags & Masks are us *For keyworkers*’ Facebook group has made more than 600 bags for health workers.

More recently she has been asked to make some face masks, due to their short supply.

Debbie explained the reason she has been inspired to both sew and transport these items across the area. She said: “For me it isn’t anything to do with money, it’s about helping out where I can.

“All the materials I use are free and recycled and to be honest its giving me something productive to do!”

As Debbie’s business operates within the health sector, she is well aware of the risk of contamination.

She continued: “If someone can slightly reduce the effect of contamination by this then I am happy and it is a worthwhile thing to do.

“People have asked me what sort of design or what sort of size should they make the bags, it really doesn’t matter as people should do what they feel like they can do — anything is a help.”

So far Debbie has dropped bags and masks to a variety of health services, including care homes in Holsworthy, Bude and Launceston; hospitals in each of the towns; and ambulance services in the area.

For more information or to find out how to help, visit Debbie’s Facebook group www.facebook.com/

groups/1599187753588719/