A design and technology teacher at Seaton Sluice Middle School has been using her sewing skills to make scrub bags for local NHS staff, and has produced 100 bags in just a couple of weeks.

Julie Allison joins the huge number of inspiring design and technology teachers from across the UK in producing vital items such as bags, visors and scrubs desperately needed by the NHS in the fight against Covid19.

Responding to an initial request from a friend who works as a nurse, Julie started sewing in mid-April and has since produced 100 scrub bags. Julie has distributed bags to the North Tyneside and Freeman Hospitals, local paramedics, Seghill GP surgery and pharmacy, and a local dental surgery which is becoming an emergency unit.

The scrub bags help to ensure that virus which could be on NHS staff clothing is not transmitted between work and home. Clothing is transferred into the scrub bag at work and the bag is put straight into the washing machine with the clothing inside at home to avoid virus transfer.

Alongside making the bags and setting work for pupils at Seaton Sluice Middle School, Julie has been home-schooling her two sons aged 7 and 10 who have both had a go at making scrub bags.

Julie said: “It’s fun and busy and I feel very proud to be part of the design and technology teaching colleagues across the UK who have been producing much needed items for the NHS. My friend who’s a nurse has asked me to keep making the bags as they are needed by so many NHS staff, so as long as I don’t run out of material I will keep going.”

John Barnes, Executive Headteacher, Seaton Valley Federation said: “At this time when things are so strange and we are all having to deal with and adapt to this awful virus, I am amazed at the achievements of the people in this country. Julie is a prime example of this, like all of us she is busy at home and dealing with her new situation yet she has found time to do this brilliant work. What she has accomplished is simply fantastic and she is a wonderful person for doing this. I am not surprised at Julie’s efforts to help because I have known her for a very long time and she is a very kind, caring person. At times like this we need people like Julie to show us just what we can do and I would like to thank her and everyone else who has done something for someone else during this lockdown to make things a bit better. Julie is an example to us all, that we can all do something to make the situation a bit better no matter what it is we do.”

Susan Dungworth, Chair of Governors, Seaton Valley Federation commented: "Julie is an example of our staff who are balancing all kinds of personal and professional commitments at the moment and are going over and above to make their own contributions to their communities and our students at this difficult time.  All our schools in the Seaton Valley Federation are real community schools and so it is fitting that so much of this equipment is being used locally.”