Sew Positive

Starting with just sewing machines in their kitchens, creative friends Melissa Santiago-Val and Jane Horwood began making community-use face coverings in April to raise money for the NHS.

They have now made over 12,000 masks, recruited a team of 50 sewing bee volunteers, raised over £40,000 for the NHS, and received orders from all over the world, as well as giving hundreds of masks for free to charities and voluntary groups. They developed a SMILE mask with a plastic window for use for people who have hearing loss, need to lip read, have dementia, autism or mental health issues.

A new charity called Sew Positive is emerging from the success of the initiative, which will bring communities together through sewing, helping to improve mental health and social inclusion.