Meath volunteers who advocate wearing face coverings make 9,000th mask
Louise Walsh
A group of Meath volunteers who advocated the use of face coverings in public since lockdown began - are about to make their 9,000th mask which they've been sending to frontline staff around the county.
Old sewing machines were pulled out of the attics by Masks 4 All Meath who started making the masks when Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) was scarce for those working in hospital settings.
However they carried on to ensure that all at risk sectors such as postal and creche workers as well as retail staff were all catered for with free masks.
About 80 men and women across the county helped at different stages and some even set up their own businesses in making face coverings for sale.
Now Masks 4 All Meath are nearing their 9000th mask and will continue their efforts, especially since face coverings have been made mandatory when out shopping.
"We have been advocates of wearing masks since the beginning and we had hoped that making masks mandatory on public transport would be extended to other areas and we were right," said Maeve Kelly of the group.
"People have been amazing since we started, in giving up their time and energy and others have been so charitable with donations of material.
"We tend to use bed lined for the under layer of the mask and brighten it up with fun material to make people smile.
"We send the masks out for free to anyone who is eligible such as social workers, postal workers, creche employees and retail staff.
"A few of the volunteers have now set up their own businesses so anyone who comes to us for masks but are not eligible for free ones, we direct to these new businesses in an effort to keep money in the local economy.
"We also started making the face mask adapters which go around the back of your head to keep the mask in place, instead of using your ears.
"Loops around the ears often made them sore at the end of the day and also were very difficult to wear with hearing aids.
"We would be lost without Bravo Charlie Tango who are our biker partners and they undertake to do all the delivery and collections for us for free."
"People are relearning new skills and pulling machines out of attics.
"We see it as the mask is just another layer of protection and if it stops an infected droplet falling on a surface someone else could touch, then absolutely we welcome that the Government have made it mandatory.
"These masks aren't high grade but they are reusable as long as you wash and iron them at a high temperature
"Looks like the demand will increase over the next while, so we will keep making masks and anyone on the front line can avail of them for free by contacting our Facebook page," she concluded.