Melissa Santiago-Val, who is furloughed from a role in independent education, and Jane Horwood, local entrepreneur, web designer and creative up-cycling guru, are using donated fabrics and their own materials to make vibrant and colourful masks, which are double lined with muslin and have a pocket for a filter.
The suggested donation of £4 per mask has often been generously exceeded, and the money goes directly to the NHS Charities Together on JustGiving. Local people and companies are supporting and getting involved in making masks with Melissa and Jane, and they would like other local companies to get involved.
"We’ve had fabric donations from friends, neighbours and support from Katie at The Cambridge Fabric Company, but really need muslin for the mask linings. It needs to be the smooth type, not the sort used for baby muslins which isn’t as easy to work with," said Melissa (pictured wearing one of the masks).
She added:"It’s been so great to find a creative way of supporting our NHS. We are so touched by the comments about our fundraising, and feel it’s a small contribution to the efforts of our amazing NHS."
You can order masks or find out how to support the project with sewing help and fabric donations, on Melissa’s JustGiving page here.
If you are able to volunteer to sew masks, donate materials or are a company who can donate vibrant cotton or white muslin material, please get in touch with Jane or Melissa by email.
#CommunityMasks4NHS
Please note that the masks are intended for community use only – for your essential trips out. Instructions on use will be included with the masks.
Volunteers - watch a Video Tutorial on how to make the masks