Coronavirus crisis: Get Scrubbed WA Facebook group, Virgin Australia combine to donate scrubs, hats to Kimberley healthcare workers

A special package of hats, scrubs and laundry bags for frontline healthcare workers in WA’s north has landed in Broome, courtesy of Virgin Australia and a group of committed sewing enthusiasts in Perth.

The bundle, sewed and donated by members of Facebook group Get Scrubbed WA, were flown to the Kimberley for free by Virgin after a plea from a Broome-based doctor.

Group founder and registered nurse Lisa Cooke said she was delighted the volunteers’ efforts were now helping doctors and nurses in the State’s north during the COVID-19 crisis.

“I know that for our regional healthcare workers it can be very difficult to access supplies and at present scrub uniforms, scrub hats and linen bags are in huge demand alongside the pressing need for PPE,” she said.

“I’m so extremely grateful to Virgin Australia who reached out to us via a member of their cabin crew to offer help in transporting the package to Broome. We couldn’t have afforded it otherwise and it’s wonderful to have the support of big businesses at this time.”

More than 3600 people have joined the Facebook group to date, which follows sewing instructions that are shared on the page to create scrubs and caps for doctors, nurses and hospital staff.

The end products are washed to high infection control standards and bagged with sanitised hands before health care professionals deliver them to hospitals and clinics.

Virgin Australia’s General Manager for Cargo, Glen Moloney said it was the commitment and kindness of Virgin team members, two of whom actually helped sew some of the items, that made the delivery possible.

Ms Cooke said while the response from sewing enthusiasts to join the group had been “unbelievable”, the demand from healthcare professionals had also been significant.

“We’re definitely in need of more people with sewing skills but we also need material and elastic to be donated,” she said.

“If any textiles company can donate some that would be amazing. We’re also looking to see if we can get a grant to buy more so it would be great to get some extra financial support from WA businesses too.”

Any people or businesses keen to get involved can contact Ms Cooke via the Facebook group.