Robert Plant donates to Kidderminster company making scrubs for NHS
A Kidderminster sportswear company making scrubs for healthcare workers has received the support of rock legend Robert Plant.
The Led Zeppelin singer and local resident made a donation worth several thousand pounds to help MG Sportswear keep supporting the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
The donation is one of many MG has received since starting a Go Fund Me page to raise funds to get the fabrics to make scrubs.
Business manager Kim Calder said the firm would normally be preparing clothing for school and sports tours but had had to cease production due to the ongoing crisis.
She also said that watching the news about the lack of scrubs at hospitals around the region had spurred the firm into action.
Kim said: "Every night, we heard the stories of shortage of scrubs for frontline hospital workers due to the increase in demand and the need to change them more frequently.
"Our company director Gino Ruffinato was saddened that we had the capacity to supply but not the supply chain or the funds to get the fabric needed."
Gino approached local businesses, including The Old Waggon and Horses in Bewdley, which donated £1,000, and set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money towards materials.
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Within 48 hours, the team had raised enough cash to order the fabrics needed and start production, with other companies donating fabric to MG.
Gino said that he had furloughed his staff because of the social gathering restrictions, but had seen members of the community step up to help out.
He said: "I've now got new girls starting this week from all over the community, as well as existing staff working from home.
"I've got new delivery people coming in to help too, so it's just everyone doing it for nothing and stepping up in the community spirit."
MG is in the process of making scrubs for staff at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospitals Trust which runs Kidderminster Hospital and St Richard's Hospice in Worcester.
Kim added the firm was in the middle of producing more than 1,000 sets of scrubs but needed to order more cloth.
She said: "We have just received a generous donation from Robert Plant that ensures we can continue to get fabric.
"However, with some of our workers needing to self-isolate and just to be able to get the garments out quickly, we could do with local stitchers services if possible.
"Other people making scrubs locally seem to be struggling with getting the patterns and cutting the garments but that is something we are able to do on mass.
"However stitching the garments or even a section of the garment would be a massive help."
MG is aiming to produce between 300 and 500 sets of scrubs each week and has already received more than £5,000 in donations through its Go Fund Me page.
To donate towards materials, go to gofundme.com/f/no-scrubs.
