FROM making headbands for NHS staff to procuring hundreds of pairs of Crocs and delivering even more portions of chicken and coleslaw, it has been a busy and rewarding time for members of Dovestone Women’s Institute.
The headbands – nicknamed button ears – have been produced so the wearing of personal protective equipment for NHS staff is as comfortable as possible.
Using donated cotton snoods and buttons, DWI sewers have busied themselves on the ‘production line’ to supply headbands to the Royal Oldham and other hospitals.
ROH workers have also taken delivery of 300 pairs of Crocs after a request for help.
“As luck would have it, the international marketing sales director for Crocs is a very good friend of mine,” explained WI chair Jess Moreland.
“So after a video link, a few phone calls to Singapore and a couple of emails to Amsterdam distribution, we now have 300 pairs of Crocs being shipped to Royal Oldham Hospital.
“I am very happy Dovestone WI could help with this.
“Huge thanks and appreciation to Scott Vinning (Singapore), Adrian Holloway (Amsterdam) and Crocs International for making this happen.”
Another logistical success was the ‘chicken run’ after Nando’s distribution centre made available pallets of marinated fresh chicken. Non-spiced food went to feed the lions at Blackpool and Chester Zoos.
In eight hours, after taking delivery of the food, the WI distributed 1,800 chickens (around three tonnes) to foodbanks in Oldham and Tameside and a homeless shelter in Manchester before distributing the remainder throughout the community.
And if you enjoy some ‘slaw with your chook then KFC supplied 800 tubs too for distribution including to a Manchester based charity Back on Track.
Jess added: “Hope we managed to help families and those in need. In particular the lovely nurse from Oldham ICU, who will be doing a huge cook up, for her colleagues saving lives at work.
“A huge thank you to the Royal George for allowing us to use their fridge and carpark. We could not have completed this massive mission without them.
“We can’t forget Dovestone WI secretary Janet Mills, who set up a mobile headquarters from her car and coordinated deliveries.
The amount of messages we received was off the scale and she did a sterling job.
“Finally, without these guys and their vehicles, the job would not have got done: Emma Givvons, Dez Richardson, Jackie Jones, Wendy Burgess and Paul Moreland.”
I suspect that the patients in NHS hospitals are fed with privately produced food. To my knowledge, the NHS does not own or run farms that supply food to patients.