A Co Down teacher is spearheading an effort to help at-risk healthcare workers by stitching personal protection wear in her "she shed".
Celeste McEvoy spends her days virtually teaching her students from St Patrick's Grammar School in Downpatrick and in the evening, she heads to her crafty shed in the garden.
The mother-of-four, who is music teacher as well as Head of Year 8, said she was moved to do something to help NHS staff because she has two nieces who are nurses, one of whom works on a Covid-19 ward in Bristol.
Known for her interest in crafting, the Downpatrick woman said friends who are doctors had told her about shortages of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as face masks and scrubs.
"I said `This is something I can get behind'."
Mrs McEvoy said the local community has been donating material to help her efforts and some people had also volunteered to join her team of stitchers.
Hoping to make face masks and scrubs, she has already made a number of drawstring bags which are used by medical staff to store their scrubs when they come off shift to prevent cross-contamination.
The bag can then be boil-washed and used again.
She is also trying to source a pattern for the scrubs but in the meantime is using a t-shirt and pyjama bottoms to copy.
"I like stitching but I am learning on the job," she said.
St Patrick's Grammar School put out an appeal on its Facebook page asking for material to help with the effort.
Mrs McEvoy said she also needs elastic as the stash she has "is going to run out soon" and appealed for fabrics including poly-cotton for scrubs and masks.
She said any PPE made would be given to the NI Scrubs Group, which has recruited hundreds of people across the north to produce protective gear and will supply it to wherever the need is greatest.
"If anyone is interested in joining the stitching team they can contact the school's Facebook page," Mrs McEvoy said.
"I really want to do my bit and help in any way. If they need things... we are happy to help them."
