VIDEO – Edinburgh Mask Makers – volunteers making a difference
Edinburgh Mask Makers (EMM) is a voluntary group of about 800 volunteers.
They make and distribute non-surgical masks for charities, organisations and businesses who need PPE but who don’t have access to it.
At the moment the group is being run by founder Rosie Sinclair from her hospital bed at the Western General, where she has been convalescing for a number of weeks. That means she can’t make any masks herself, but she is still able to run the admin side of the operation.
Rosie began the group by making masks for her flatmates who both work in retail, and she shared photos on Facebook. Then an order came in for more. That first order was fulfilled by Rosie and another couple of volunteers, but now the group has produced enough masks for 1000 orders in the first month of operation.
When the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, mentioned in a daily briefing that she recommended wearing masks in certain situations, the number of orders shot up. From 1,000 in the first month, EMM received 1,000 orders in the two days after the briefing.
The way it works is quite ingenious, in that it does not involve cash or fundraising. Those who want masks order them on the group’s Facebook page, and once the order is approved and verified, Edinburgh Mask Makers then puts out a call to their members for that order to be fulfilled.
The volunteers then pledge to produce a certain number of masks and send them for distribution through four deposit boxes strategically placed around the city.
These lovely colourful boxes have been made by Edinburgh Tool Library, and you will see the Workshop Manager Jonny explaining that they are involved in lending sewing machines, and the delivery side too in our video below.
EMM also put out a call for a delivery driver if needed, and then the masks are picked up and distributed to the person or group who ordered them.
There are East and West Lothian branches which have just been set up too.
The way that you can help is by donating material, perhaps old bed sheets, or you can donate cash on the Go Fund Me page here.