Horsell Scrubbers

RADIO WOKING 

22ND JULY 2020

 

Claire Cummings joined me via an Interpreter to discus the work of the Horsell Scrubbers, making srubs for the NHS locally, and masks for the wider community.  We also spoke about the use of face masks and how if affects those who rely on lip reading.

 

 

 

TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO

 0:00  
JON: I'm joined now by Claire Cummings from Horsell. And she's talking to you today through her interpreter Karen. So hello, Claire, first of all. 

CLAIRE: Hello, 

JON: lovely to join you. And also hello to Karen, who is the interpreter for today. So thank you for helping out with that. So, Claire, let's just sort of start talking a bit about face masks. I know you you are deaf yourself. And one of the main issues around the face mask is the fact that you can't see lips and many of them so that must be a huge barrier for you.
  0:41  
CLAIRE: Yes, it is a big barrier. But there's plenty of solutions. And at first it was quite difficult, and it needed a bit of thought. But now there are solutions out there . Not all of them are perfect. But I think all of us if all of us take responsibility to try and think about the spread of coronavirus, that's the most important thing. Deaf people hearing people alike. I think that's the most important thing, obviously. And to try and stop the spread of the virus but. There are clear face shields out there that people can use. That's a very good solution and that enables the deaf person to see another person's entire face, for example, and there's some situations like public services, if you're going to the shops or to the hairdressers, these are the kind of things that are useful. And but  I'm a teacher for the Deaf and I've noticed that some schools dont need to use them  much exceptfor example in the medical room.  the face shields but there aret masks with a clear window transparent part of the front of the mask. That's another solution. However, lots of people have said they do steam up easily. So I think that's a short term solution if you're only using the mask for a short amount of time, and we're having a short conversation, but the most important thing for everyone is, I would say, patience. So for example,  if I go into a shop, sorry, and someone has a mask on, and I say that I'm deaf, and people understand that, then that's fine. What they can do is we can stand a little bit further apart, they can pull their mask down, we can have a conversation, I can still lip read them. This things like that. So there's lots of solutions. And I think the most important thing is for us all to work together. And it's really about Yeah, working together.As one big community, I guess, of course and

 2:57  
JON Going back to the Visors, the full sort of see through plastic visors, in your role as a teacher for the deaf, that's going to be very vital, isn't it for you to be able to communicate with students I would imagine?

 3:14  
CLAIRE: Yes, yes. Very, very, very important. But I'm lucky actually, in Surrey, where I'm based, and lots of the schools. I can't mention any names (donors of the visors) but actually, I've been given quite a lot of stock of face shields for free. And I'm very lucky. So I've been using distributed them lots of my team. And, you know, I work as a central support teacher, and I work in mainstream schools. And from September, all of our team will actually be wearing shields and masks in my local team, so my my local group, the Horsell scrubbers, we're actually making some face marks suitable for that. So I'm lucky we've got some some masks and shields I can use when I go back to get back to school go back to work, it's really important because I have to communicate with them lots of them have got extra needs

  4:11  
JON: Do you think from your own experiences, if you went into a shop and you went up to one of the staff working in one of the supermarkets what ever shop it may be and you said you know, look, I am  Deaf Do you think they would be willing to allowances and help generally?

 4:29  
CLAIRE: well I could say up till now. I guess I live in a very small very friendly lovely village called Horsell and I'm well known everybody knows me. Yeah. And so actually, um, you know, they know me as part of the Horsell scrubbers I'm quite, you know, well known t members of the community so they can see me coming from quite a distance and they know that I'm deaf. So I've had no problem locally. And you know, people are  actually very lovely about it here. They move their masks away to smile. To show that they're welcoming, and lots of people here have great Deaf Awareness. So actually locally, it's been no problem to me.

  5:09  
JON: Okay, and how do you feel about the idea of face masks being compulsory in shops from what from later this week that was coming in? How do you feel about that?

  5:19  
CLAIRE: I think it's actually the right decision. I really do. I think it's the right thing to do. Because I've got, I've been going to my local station, for example, and some people haven't had masks on and it is compulsory on public transport. So I think we have to get on with it. And we have to accept this decision. It's not about individuals. It's actually about the whole world. It's a global problem. And this is a really awful virus that's affecting everyone. And you know, it's it's unfortunate, it's sad for everyone for us to be wearing masks. I hope it's going to be a short term thing and not a lot. No, not a long term thing, but You know, we have to, I hope that, you know, soon I don't know when we're going to be able to put our masks in the drawer and never look at them again. But the most important thing for now short term is that people think about stopping spreading the virus but also to communicate with people like myself. And think about the solution, some of which I've already mentioned. So yes, face shields, the masks being you know, having that those kind of conversations. 

 6:30 

JON: Let's talk a bit about the Horsell scrubbers. What a fantastic name for that group. I know, Claire, you've always been into sort of making clothes and things like that as a hobby. But how did the Horsell  scrubbers come about how did that all come into being?

 6:49  
CLAIRE: Well, I could just say it's been Can I just say it's been absolutely crazy. And at the start of lockdown, I think this the first or second week of lockdown It was the school holidays anyway. And you're right, I make clothes, I make bits and pieces as a hobby in my spare time, but I had this sense of wanting to help. And I saw on the news, there was a lady who was making scrubs for her local hospital and I thought that's something I can do. And so I found various groups on Facebook and I noticed  other peple on the grup were in my village. I thought it wuld be easier t collect a few sets and share them out rather than several several of us driving back and forth indvidulaly. Somebody got in touch with me to say these are the areas that we need scrubs for and there was one for my local area. And at the start, there was about six of us and I thought, right we can share out this material that we've been given. I was driving back and back and forth picking things up. I put it on the village, Facebook group to see if anybody wanted to help me and 48 hours later. It I can't tell you the amount of messages I got. I got 60 volunteers And my garden the patio was full of bags of materials that I was donated literally overnight. And which I didn't ask all the people were donating things left, right and centre and I didn't know what to do. Because, um, you know, I it was it was just overwhelming. We had so much to do. But there was a fantastic group of us that got together, we started getting the patterns that people were cutting, we were we were distributing different people to so as well. With with to date Can I just say that we've made 4000 items, pieces of material next squats and whatever we made 4000 things

  8:47  
JON:That is very impressive that you know the community has come together and really helped. helps us get this off the ground and definitely a real sense of community spirit going on.

  9:00  
CLAIRE: The community spirit has been amazing, you know, around Horsell  It's been amazing., I'm a deaf person in the village and everyone knows me as the deaf person in the village but the network that I've built around me and the sense of community has been so strong to all of this. The whatsapp group we've had lots of chats not just talking about you know, the scrubs and lots of banter. It's but with all pulled together

  9:30  
JON brilliant stuff and doing a fantastic fantastic job providing scrubs First of all, then moving into the facemask or what well who's actually receiving the what you're making the scrubs the face mask Is it the local hospitals or you offer it for community as well?

  9:51  
CLAIRE: The Royal Surrey, hospital and Frimley Park as well

  9:57  
JON: and also into the community. As well?

  10:00  
CLAIRE: yes yes we are distributing to the community we're especially masks we get given those out to local bus drivers and also people that are volunteering in that community.

  10:15 
JON: Okay, and what was the reaction been? What's the feedback been from the people that have been receiving these things from you?

 10:22  
CLAIRE: Well, it's so positive they're very grateful actually. And the Royal sorry hospital they've made a wonderful video and staff wearing our scrubs and they've actually done a catwalk display and where they've done then started modeling our our amazing scrubs so that's been lovely. And you know, we've saved the money at the end of the day the Royal Surrey. And they saying that our scrubs compared to the ones that they weren't getting before lockdown and more comfortable so you never know that might keep keep on using them.

  10:58  
JON Yes, exactly. I'm glad that you know, it's been so well received and such a vital thing that you're doing and I gather you had some specially designed scrubs for the NHS using money raised by  Noah Evans, (son f Chris Evans) who camped out in his garden. Tell me a bit about that.

 11:18  
CLAIRE: Yes. And then there's another group that was that was set up. And, and Noah was the son of one of the people in that group. So and he raised a lot of money. And, you know, hats off to him is absolutely brilliant. So the money that he raised was to use to design and make the fabric. So it's thanks to him really.and it's a rainbow design, very colorful.

And that's only for the NHS. That's not for communities that's only to the NHS, and that's specifically linked to the oil sorry. So there's three groups that are actually distributed to them. For Horsell and also Chobham and another group in Send . So we're, we're the three groups that are making  Noah scrubs for the hospital.

 12:09  
JON: Okay, and I love how you're working with different groups and different communities and I suppose sharing ideas, sharing experiences, just to kind of work together to get this protective equipment out there.

 12:23  
CLAIRE: So, yes, and yeah, we're working very hard. Also, we got to do 400 more before September. So you know, it's been we're sharing resources and groups are working together, 

JON: We must  wear face masks in shops from later this week and with  them at the moment in public transport. If we buy a face mask, I'm guessing fabric is going to be much better option than disposable ones because you know, you're walking down the street and you see all these disposable facemask just dumped. That could potentially be a big, big problem for the environment i imagine?

  13:04  
CLAIRE: Yeah, exactly. Definitely. I mean, that  I do think that the waste that's going to be out there in the sea off to beings is shocking. But also, most of our fabric is actually secondhand. So it's even more environmentally friendly.  Most of it's been donated. And obviously, with the reusable mask, you can wash them and use them again and without  throwing things away. So all of our masks are reusable. And then I think they're more comfortable than the surgical ones anyway.

  13:34  
JON: Yes. I think they sort of look a lot nicer when the surgical ones as well!

  13:38  
CLAIRE: Yes, they definitely do. The surgical ones are also, I think, probably needed in surgery. I think the NHS need as many of them as they can. And I think whatever we can do to support the NHS by by using reusable masks I think is always good as well.

  13:57  
JON: Yes. And you know, you mentioned we can wash these, these reusable fabric masks. How often do you think you know, from day to day use? How often should we be washing them?

  14:09  
CLAIRE: Well, it's recommended that you wash them and at the end of each day, and also wash them on a 60 degree wash. Okay, so make sure it's ready for the next day, especially if you're using them regularly. I mean, if you're commuting every day most of us, you know, might might just wear them going to the shops, for example, once or twice a week, that's fine. If you're using them regularly, I'd say definitely have two that you can swap and change. 

 14:38  
JON: If people want to find out more about what's happening locally within the Horsell Scrubbers in your local area. How would you go about that? 

CLAIRE: We have a public facebook page. You just need to search for Horsell Scrubbers Bullitin.

 14:51  
JON: Thank you very much for for telling us about what you've been doing local area. It is  gratefully received and such an amazing thing. So thank you.

CLAIRE: I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers that have been truly amazing. We've all worked so hard, the cutters, the sowers the people that helped deliveries that people have given donations, and it's really has been community efforts. And I hope that sense of community carries on. So just want to say thank you to the to the community, really

Transcribed by https://otter.ai