Kirkcaldy wedding designer leads the national effort to make scrubs for NHS workers

Mirka Jankowska normally uses her materials to design bespoke bridal gowns, but for the past few weeks, she has instead been making sure that nurses, doctors and other frontline health staff have the sanitary clothing they need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Her shop, based in the town’s commercial street, has become a hub to support the national effort which is involving over 300 machinists across Scotland who are volunteering their skills in order to make the much-needed medical scrubs for the NHS.

Mirka told the Press that the group, known as NHS Scotland For The Love of Scrubs, has now had over 9000 requests for scrubs from hospitals and from other healthcare sector staff.

But she warned that the requests they are receiving have become desperate with some staff claiming they do not have adequate levels of PPE.

She said in response to this, she has been supported by her daughter Maja as well as Holly Baxter-Weir of Fabric Bazaar and Clare Boyle of The Kind Earth Cro-op to set up a fundraiser to buy fabric, elastic, thread etc, which has collected £41,000 in donations, over the last few weeks.

Mirka was offered a lot of help after launching the initiative, which she decided to do when a number of brides postponed their weddings.

She said: “I really wanted to help in any way possible as a lot of my brides and other clients work for the NHS. Someone let me know about the group that’s covering England so I spoke to the organiser and offered to take care of the Scotland side of things. I never knew this group would grow so quickly.”

Mirka drew up patterns to work from and volunteers have offered to distribute the fabrics among the seamstresses and others deliver to hospital linen stores when requested.

NHS staff can also report shortages and request scrubs to the group.

The website, www.fortheloveofscrubs, also has a collection request for anyone who has made scrubs so volunteers can pick them up and distribute to hospitals in need which includes Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers; the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen, East Fife Mail and Glenrothes Gazette.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty.

The support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with your community during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this, and your continued support of our newspapers across Fife will help to protect their viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press