Warsash gran who helped stitch thousands of masks and protective clothes for health workers is honoured
SHE is the grandmother who rallied an army of helpers to stitch together protective clothing for health workers at the height of the pandemic.
And now hard working Lin Gell, of Warsash, has been honoured for her community spirit and dedication to those fighting on the front line of the pandemic.
Lin set up Team Scrubbers in response to a PPE crisis facing key workers in April.
Leading from the front, she pulled together a team of volunteers to sew scrubs and masks for NHS staff, GPs and teachers who were in desperate need.
And over the past eight months, Lin’s team has created 13,500 sets of scrubs, more than 20,000 masks and raised thousands for the Royal British Legion and Crisis Food Gosport.
Lin said: ‘It’s just amazing what we have actually achieved out of something I started at the beginning of April.
‘If anybody had told me this time last year I would have done this much this year, I wouldn’t have believed them.’
Helpers came from across the county, with plenty of volunteers signing up from Lin’s home town of Gosport.
As people came and went throughout the year, eight dedicated volunteers stayed in Lin’s team to keep sewing all through 2020.
Her family also stepped up to help, with son Matt selling masks on his doorstep and daughter Kirsty running the Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent operation.
Lin added: ‘I need to thank all the people who have helped sewing and selling the masks. My family has helped me so much.
‘I have had so much support from my Gosport people, they have all been amazing. People I never knew are now my best friends.
‘Considering we started with no fabric, no money, nothing, we have really achieved amazing amounts. I am exceptionally proud of it and I have loved every minute of it.’