South Eastern Regional College, Quinns and Thomas Kelly & Co Partner up for PPE

Sometimes it is not what you know, but who you know and @S_ERC has been making the most of business partners and past students to meet the call for Personal Protective Equipment #PPE for the #NHS and local care sector.

SERC have answered the call for PPE by involving students, staff and the wider community in the collection, making and distribution of materials needed for the fight against Coronavirus. Aurla McLoughlin, Deputy Head of SERC’s Enterprise and Entrepreneur team said, “We have been amazed, but not surprised, by the willingness of students, staff, the wider community and business partners to get involved in our call for help.   Most recently, this has involved a donation of material from Thomas Kelly & Co Ltd in Ballynahinch which is being used to make much needed masks and scrubs which has been supported by Quinns Bar in Restaurant Newcastle, who kindly opened their Off-Sales as a safe pick up point for people in the local community to call in to collect the material which would be turned into masks and scrubs.

People like Pushker Sabherwal has been making scrubs for staff in the Covid-19 wards and was able to pick up material from Quinns Off Sales to allow him to continue his great work. He said, “We have been cutting the fabric into the pattern in in one place in order to avoid wastage so we appreciate the help from SERC in getting us the material so we can pass on the pre-cut patterns all ready for local seamstresses to complete.”

Local woman, Davina Callen, who is one of the many people making scrubs for the NHS, put a call out for material that she could turn into scrubs and masks.   This was spotted by Dearbhla Knight, from SERC’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship team who was able to arrange for Davina to collect 3 rolls of fabric from Quinns Off Sales so she could continue making scrubs.

If you would like to volunteer to make masks or scrubs and are in need of some material, please contact Natasha Lloyd at SERC by email [email protected]