We are lucky that our village, Loddiswell, has come together (in a socially distant way!) to get this mask making project off the ground. We are also passionate about helping other communities to get similar projects going in their areas, and have already been able to send starter packs and information to some. If we raise a lot more money than anticipated we would be able to extend this help further and for longer. It would also allow us to provide more care homes with the masks they so desperately need.
There is scientific evidence suggesting that if everyone wears a face mask in public, we can all help protect each other from coronavirus, to some degree. Scientists say that 90% of your emission droplets can be caught by a properly-worn mask. We also think that the UK Government will soon make it compulsory for everyone to wear a face covering in public to reduce transmission of the virus. On April 28th The Scottish Parliament recommended that everyone who goes to a shop or uses public transport should wear a mask to help protect others.
Our primary mission is to ensure that every member of the Loddiswell Community (who wants one) is provided with at least one free, washable fabric face mask made by local volunteers. We will prioritise key-workers, carers, shop workers, people who are elderly/vulnerable, people who use public transport and anyone else who expresses a particular need. Ideally anyone in these special groups will be given two masks each. We are also keen to encourage younger, "non-vulnerable" people who have to go out, to wear masks if possible, in order to help protect those they come into contact with, even allowing for social distancing.
Important note: we advocate that masks should be worn in addition to social distancing and hand washing.
If we are contacted by local care homes/ schools/ nurseries and other groups who need masks we will endeavour to help provide for them too. Your money will be used to purchase fabrics, linings, interfacing, pipe cleaners and elastic for making fabric face masks and to cover postage of materials and printing of safety instructions. If we raise more money than we need to supply the Loddiswell Community, we would like to kick-start similar projects in other local villages to help protect other communities in the South Hams. In this case your money will be used to buy the fabrics for starter packs which can be given to sewing volunteers in and around the Kingsbridge area to get them started on face mask projects for their own communities. If the whole South Hams community wear face masks we can all protect each other. If this project comes to a natural end, hopefully with the introduction of a vaccine or effective treatment for coronavirus, any money left over will be donated to Kingsbridge Hospital League of Friends.
The money you give to this project will be paid into the bank account of the Loddiswell Playing Fields and Village Hall Trust (Registered Charity no. 267615), and all expenditure will be audited by them.
