Whilst many students are trying to finish their coursework and get through their exams, one NTU student has been working above and beyond to help the NHS.
Thomas Chin, 21, from Suffolk, is a second-year Fashion Design student at Nottingham Trent University, and has been using his time at home to make scrubs for NHS workers.
After NTU transferred their teaching online, Tom found that his workshop sessions would no longer a requirement for his course, and so he decided to use his skills elsewhere.
“Sewing is something I do find very enjoyable, calming and I love seeing my designs transform into wearable items of clothing,” he told us.
“Because of this I wanted to be able to do something at home to keep up with my practice and help my skills.”
“In the first week of isolation a course mate posted a link to a group chat āFor the love of scrubs – NHS needs youā which provided lots of information into how the public can make scrubs and how to supply them to the hospitals and care homes in need of them.”
“Luckily at home my mum, Sharon chin, is a seamstress with her own small business making bags so we had industrial sewing machines and the space to start making these scrubs on a large scale,” he added.
Together, Tom and his mother have made 50 sets of scrubs over the past week for NHS workers, which have been delivered to Ipswich hospital.
“We have friends, family and locals all helping to provide us with fabrics or raising money to buy the fabrics needed so with this we are thinking of making about 60 or 70 sets of scrubs a week.”
“We plan on doing this until all essential have enough to see them through this pandemic.”
Tom also admitted that whilst he enjoys making the scrubs and seeing the end result, he has also struggled with the stresses of lockdown.
“I do believe everyone is struggling with lockdown at the moment so I canāt begin to imagine how NHS nurses and doctors must be feeling during this difficult time,” he said.
“I would like to remind them that what they are doing is amazing and truly heroic and I just hope that I can support them to the best of my ability.”
By Faith Pring
All photo credits: Nottingham Trent University