We are not used to face masks, and so it feels strange to wear one. But these are strange times and we are learning that wearing a mask when in public spaces, such as on the bus or in shops, can really help other people by minimising the transfer from us to them of any virus or germ particles.
The sewing volunteers of the Eynsham Repair Café, plus other kind people in Eynsham, have remotely teamed up during lockdown to make face masks for people who may not be able to make one themselves. We all want to do something to help our community during these troubled times and this seemed like a great idea to contribute! We are not selling these masks but instead request a donation to cover our materials, with all of us in the group giving our time and skills freely.
On the 10th of May we put up posters in the post office, Evenlode DIY, and the Market Garden Shop, as well as making a couple of posts on Facebook. The response has been overwhelming and far exceeded what we were expecting!
Exactly one month later, we have made 290 face masks, fulfilling all the requests we received. Time for a cup of tea!
Over the coming weeks we will put up more posters around the village to let people know they can get a face mask should they need one. If you need a mask, please click on this link to submit your request through our online form. It really helps us if you use the form as we can capture all the information we need to get a mask to you. Everyone in the group is doing this in our spare time, juggling between work and other commitments, so please be patient as there may be a delay between your requesting a mask and receiving it.
If you need a mask urgently, you may be interested to know that the Market Garden shop is selling masks made by Marta Biro which you can buy directly. And you will be supporting two local businesses at the same time!
So while it may feel like a strange new habit, please do wear a mask when you are on the bus or in an enclosed space such as a shop, and feel good that you are helping other people!
This website has some good advice on wearing masks.
Stay Safe!
Helen, Barbara,& Cate, Corin, Eve, Julia L, Julia S, and Matt